Nepal will play two Test matches against the host nation after returning from the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in India.
What you should know
The Nepali national cricket team is set to play home series against two Test nations before the monsoon season begins. Releasing the calendar for the year 2026, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Secretary Paras Khadka has informed that two Test nations are coming to Nepal to play.
According to CAN's calendar, Nepal is organizing two series of Cricket World Cup League-2 involving Oman and UAE from March 10 to 25 and USA and Scotland from May 5 to 18. Nepal is preparing to invite Test nations to play before and after League-2, which is the basis for the One-Day World Cup qualifiers.
'We are coordinating with various Test nations, rather than saying that this Test nation will come, we are trying to invite at least two Test nations before the rains start,' Khadka said at a press conference held on Saturday, 'There will be two ODI bilateral series before and after the start of Cricket World Cup League-2.'
CAN Secretary Khadka did not reveal which Test nation. Nepal has managed to collect only 12 points from 20 matches in League-2 and is in seventh place in the eight-nation competition. Due to this, Nepal's One-Day International recognition is in crisis. The next two home series could determine Nepal's One-Day International future. In the meantime, Nepal 'A' team is going to play a practice match with the team coming to Kathmandu.
According to CAN's calendar, Nepal is scheduled to play a Test match against Oman and UAE before playing a League-2 series at home. After playing a League-2 series at home against the US and Scotland, CAN is preparing to organize a Twenty20 series by including a fourth team, a Test match.
Nepal will conclude its League-2 journey by going to the Netherlands in July and playing against the Netherlands and Namibia, and in October by going to Oman and playing against Oman and Canada. All the teams participating in the three-year League-2 cycle will play the same 36 matches.
Nepal is organizing the Women's Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers in January. The Nepali women's cricket team will be busy in the 10-nation tournament, while the men's team is preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in India next month. Khadka said that the outline of the Twenty20 World Cup preparation will be announced in 1-2 days. Nepal is likely to go to Sri Lanka to prepare for the Twenty20 World Cup.
Similarly, Nepal is organizing the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup in 2027 in collaboration with Bangladesh. CAN Cricket Manager Binod Das said that Nepal has prepared a special calendar for that. CAN is organizing a U-19 women's triangular series in April for that, while the U-19 national tournament will be held in September. Nepal's newly appointed women's coach Harshal Pathak will visit all the provinces to select players and also look at Nepal's U-19 team.
The Nepal Premier League will be held a month earlier this year in October-November. 'Our calendar is very busy, we have prepared it by doing a lot of homework,' said Secretary Khadka, 'Our calendar is so busy that national players may not be able to play all the tournaments.'
The women's international series will be held in May. Khadka informed that this tournament will be organized in Mofussal as grounds are also being built outside the capital. According to CAN's calendar, district selection for the Prime Minister's Cup is starting from Monday. The national tournament will be held in March. The Jay Trophy will be held in February. The Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Tournament will be held in April.
The women's national tournament will be held from May 2 to 20. CAN has announced that it will conduct a Level-2 coaching course in July and a Level-1 umpiring course in August. In August, Nepal will play the ACC Premier Cup and will also play a series with Kuwait.
