CAN announces 32-member squad for T20 Asia-Pacific Qualifier
According to CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama, the squad includes a balanced mix of experienced and young players.
KATHMANDU: The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Sunday announced a 32-member preliminary squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia-Pacific Region Final Qualifier, set to take place in Oman this October.
According to CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama, the squad includes a balanced mix of experienced and young players.
The team will be led by regular captain Rohit Paudel, while key players Dipendra Singh Airee, Kushal Bhurtel, Anil Sah, and Aasif Sheikh have also been named in the squad.
Other notable names include Lokesh Bam, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Nandan Yadav, Karan KC, Sompal Kami, Rijhan Dhakal, Sandeep Lamichhane, Pratish GC, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Gulshan Kumar Jha.
The extended list also features Rupesh Kumar Singh, Basir Ahmad, Sahab Alam, Yubaraj Khatri, Kiran Thagunna, Sagar Dhakal, Aakash Chand, Vivek Kumar Yadav, Adil Ansari, Pawan Sarraf, Sandeep Jora, Sher Malla, Shubh Kansakar, Arjun Gharti, and Kamal Singh Airee.
Nepal in Group ‘B’
The Asia-Pacific regional qualifier will be held from October 8 to 17 in Oman, with nine teams divided into three groups. Nepal is placed in Group ‘B’ alongside Kuwait and Japan.
Group ‘A’ features Malaysia, Qatar, and UAE, while Group ‘C’ includes host Oman, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa.
Nepal will begin its group-stage campaign on October 8 against Kuwait, followed by a match against Japan on October 10. The top two teams from each group will advance to the ‘Super 6’ stage.
In the Super 6 phase, the six qualifying teams will compete for the top three spots, which will secure qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
