Cricket Kitchen

Nepali Squad Announced for the World Cup

January 7, 2026

 

Kathmandu –  The Nepali cricket team has been announced for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will begin next month in India and Sri Lanka.

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Tuesday unveiled a 15-member squad under the captaincy of Rohit Kumar Paudel for the World Cup.

Out of the 24 players who were in the closed training camp, nine have been dropped from the final selection. The squad, with Dipendra Singh Airee as vice-captain, includes Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Sandeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, Basir Ahmed, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulshan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla, and Lokesh Bam.

Players who were part of the closed training camp but failed to make it into the World Cup squad include Kushal Malla, Adil Ansari, Binod Bhandari, Bhim Sharki, Shahab Alam, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohara, Pratis GC, and Rupesh Kumar Singh.

Kushal Malla and Adil Ansari, who were part of Nepal’s World Cup Qualifier squad in Oman two months ago, were also left out of the final World Cup team. They have been replaced by Basir Ahmed and Sher Malla.

Players selected from the training camp earned their places in the final 15 based on their performances in the recently concluded Nepal Premier League (NPL). In the World Cup, Nepal will face England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Italy. Nepal will begin its World Cup campaign against England on Magh 25 (February 7).

Nepal will play all of its group-stage matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India. Nepal is playing the T20 World Cup for the second consecutive time and for the third time overall. Sompal Kami will be the only Nepali player to feature in the T20 World Cup for the third time.