The Nepalese Cricket Team departed for Hong Kong to compete in the upcoming Hong Kong Men’s T20I series. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) hosted a farewell program for the team on Thursday in Kathmandu.
Nepal will face off against Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong in a round-robin format. The top two teams will advance to the final, while the third-place team will play Hong Kong A in an additional match. Nepal’s matches against Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea are scheduled for March 10th and 12th, with the final on March 13th. Before the series begins, Nepal will play a Friendship Cup match against Hong Kong on March 9th.
Rohit Paudel will lead the 14-man squad, though several key players are absent. Regulars Aasif Sheikh, Anil Sah, Sompal Kami, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Lalit Rajbanshi are being rested. Aakash Chand, Lokesh Bam, and Binod Bhandari return to the team, while Sagar Dhakal, Rashid Khan, Pratish GC, and Aarif Sheikh retain their places.
Nepal’s Squad:
- Rohit Paudel (c)
- Kushal Bhurtel
- Sundeep Jora
- Binod Bhandari
- Lokesh Bam
- Aarif Sheikh
- Gulshan Jha
- Bibek Yadav
- Rashid Khan
- Pratish GC
- Karan KC
- Sagar Dhakal
- Aakash Chand
- Abinash Bohara
Here’s a table listing the matches.
| Date | Time | Match |
|---|---|---|
| March 9 | 11:15 AM | Friendship Cup |
| March 10 | 11:15 AM | Match 1 |
| March 12 | 7:15 AM | Match 2 |
| 11:45 AM | Match 3 | |
| March 13 | 7:15 AM | 3rd Place Game |
| 11:45 AM | Final |
