Two players have been replaced from the team that played in the Twenty20 World Cup Asia-Pacific qualifiers held in Oman in October.
What you should know
Bowler Sher Malla, who was declared the rising star of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), has been included in the national team for the first time.
Malla is the first to be included in the 15-member squad announced by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) for the Twenty20 World Cup on Tuesday.
Nepal has selected the final team under the captaincy of Rohit Kumar Poudel for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Malla has been a member of the title-winning team in both seasons of the NPL. Malla, who was associated with Janakpur Bolts in the first season, was with Lumbini Lions in the second season. Malla, who also became the highest wicket-taker in the second season, was also awarded the title of emerging player in the NPL. He took 17 wickets.
The Nepali team announced includes Dipendra Singh Airi (vice-captain), Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Asif Sheikh, Sandeep Jora, Arif Sheikh, Bashir Ahmed, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulshan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla and Lokesh Bam.
Two players have been changed from the team that played the Twenty20 World Cup Asia-Pacific qualifiers in Oman in October. Bashir and Sher have been brought in to replace Kushal Malla and Adil Alam Ansari. Sher had jointly taken the most wickets with 17 while leading Lumbini Lions to victory in the Nepal Premier League held last month. He was selected as the emerging player in the tournament.
Shahab Alam, who was a 'traveling member' in Oman, also failed to make it to Nepal's 15-member team. Bhim Sarki, Ishan Pandey, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohra, Pratish GC and Rupesh Singh were not included in the final squad from the 24-member preliminary squad.
Nepal is playing its third T20 World Cup. Nepal will play England on February 8, Italy on February 12, West Indies on February 15 and Bangladesh on February 17 in the group stage. Nepal will play all the group stage matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Nepal had previously played the T20 World Cup in 2014 and 2024.
