Nepal names T20 squad for Asian Games qualifiers

The Cricket Association of Nepal has unveiled a 14-member squad for the upcoming 2026 Asian Games T20 qualifiers, set to take place in Singapore. Head coach Stuart Law will lead the team, which shows a strategic shift towards T20I specialists. Five key players have been replaced compared to the squad that recently participated in the ICC CWC League-2 series.

Notable inclusions in the T20 squad are hard hitters Kushal Malla, Sundeep Jora, and Lokesh Bam, alongside spinners Shahab Alam and Sher Malla. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee will lead this new-look team. Players who did not continue from the League-2 squad include Gulshan Kumar Jha, Bhim Sharki, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Binod Bhandari, Arjun Kumal, and Ishan Pandey. Jha and Pandey are set to participate in the EU T20 League in Belgium with JB Bruges.

Nepal is drawn in Group A for the qualifiers, facing China on May 31, Qatar on June 2, and Malaysia on June 4. Group B consists of Oman, Hong Kong, Bahrain, and Singapore. The tournament follows a single round-robin format within each group. The top two teams from both groups will progress to the semifinals. A total of six teams will compete in the main Asian Games event in Japan, with hosts Japan and five ICC full members, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, already having secured their spots.