T20 World Cup: NPL stars to shine

KATHMANDU: Nepal will make its third appearance at the ICC T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on Feb 7, 2026, in India and Sri Lanka.

The team earned its spot after topping the Asia and EAP qualifiers in Oman, marking Nepal’s second consecutive World Cup qualification.

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has announced a 15-member squad for the tournament, led by captain Rohit Paudel. Notably, Sompal Kami will become the first Nepali player to participate in all three of the country’s World Cup campaigns.

Nine players, including Captain Paudel, are set to play their second consecutive World Cup, while vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Sundeep Jora, Aasif Sheikh, Lalit Rajbanshi, Gulshan Jha, and Karan KC return from the previous edition.

Several veterans, including Anil Kumar Shah, Kushal Malla, Pratish GC, Abhinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, and Kamalsingh Airee, missed out on selection this time. Among them, Anil, Sagar, and Kushal were not in the preliminary squad, while Pratish, Abhinash, and Kushal Malla were dropped from the final team.

In their place, five players will make their World Cup debut, all of whom impressed during the second season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). These debutants are Sher Malla, Nandan Yadav, Lokesh Bam, Basir Ahamad, and Aarif Sheikh.

Sher Malla, who played a key role in Lumbini Lions’ NPL title victory, could also make his national team debut during the World Cup. Nandan, Lokesh, and Arif have recently been part of Nepal’s T20 setup, while Basir Ahmad returns after a long absence.

Nepal has been drawn into Group C, alongside England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Italy. The team will open its campaign against England on Feb 8 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Group matches will continue with Italy on Feb 12, West Indies on Feb 15, and Bangladesh on Feb 17, all in Mumbai.

With the momentum from the NPL and the inclusion of new talent, Nepal aims to deliver a strong performance on the World Cup stage.