Preliminary Nepal squad named for ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe

With the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier games right around the corner, the various teams would be keen on fielding their best possible line-ups. The qualifier matches are scheduled to be held from June 18 to July 9, 2023, and will be held in Zimbabwe.

Ahead of the matches, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) came forward to announce their preliminary squad for the qualifiers. Many similar names were called up for the games. Having lost just one out of their last 18 games to qualify for the Zimbabwe Qualifiers and the Asia Cup, there was no reason why the board would opt for a different team combination. 

The side will start preparing for the games soon, and 15 of the 22 players will be elected to compete in the qualifier matches. For the final preparations, the side will be travelling to South Africa before heading to Zimbabwe. The team is expected to head to South Africa around May 31. The qualifier matches will boast a plethora of top teams. West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Ireland, to name a few.

Furthermore, before travelling to South Africa and Zimbabwe subsequently, the side will prepare at home for ten days, which could be integral in selecting the 15 players who can build upon the side’s excellent form.

Nepal has been drawn into Group A, which includes Zimbabwe, the West Indies, the Netherlands, and the United States, according to several reports. The matches in their group will be played in Harare, with Bulawayo hosting the Group B matches. The two finalists from both groups will make their way into the 2023 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India in the latter stages of 2023. 

Nepal’s Preliminary squad: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Gyanendra Mall, Rohit Poudel (captain), Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Bhim Sarki, Lalit Rajwanshi, Pratish JC, Arjun Saud, Sandeep Jora , Dev Khanal, Kishor Mahato, Surya Tamang, Kamal Singh Airee, Shyam (Mausam) Dhakal and Abhinas Bohora.