The Tribhuvan University (TU) International Cricket Ground is set to host a high-pressure opening match tomorrow as Nepal takes on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. With the race for World Cup qualification tightening, Nepal enters this home tri-series under significant scrutiny, currently languishing near the bottom of the points table.
Standings and Stakes
Nepal’s campaign has been marked by inconsistency, leaving them in 7th place with just 5 wins from 20 matches (12 points). Their opponents tomorrow, the UAE, are currently at the bottom of the 8-team table with 10 points.
For the Rhinos, this series is a vital opportunity to leverage home-ground advantage and climb toward the top four, which would secure automatic qualification for the World Cup Qualifiers. A poor showing in Kirtipur could see their chances of direct qualification slip away entirely.
Squad News and Strategy
Captain Rohit Paudel leads a 15-member squad that sees the return of experienced wicketkeeper-batter Binod Bhandari.The team will rely heavily on their core strengths:
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Spin Attack: Sandeep Lamichhane, who has 23 wickets in the current League 2 cycle, and Lalit Rajbanshi are expected to exploit the spin-friendly tracks at TU.
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Top-Order Form: Kushal Bhurtel enters the match in strong form after a match-winning 84* against the UAE in the recently concluded T20I series.
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Middle-Order Stability: Aarif Sheikh, Nepal’s leading run-scorer in the tournament with 463 runs, will be key to anchoring the innings.
The Rivalry
The two sides are well-acquainted, having just played a two-match T20I series this week that ended in a 1-1 draw. While the UAE won the first match via the DLS method, Nepal bounced back with a dominant 8-wicket win in the second.
Match Logistics
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Time: 9:30 AM NST, Saturday, April 25.
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Venue: TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
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Tickets: Available via the Khalti app.
Following Saturday’s opener, the tri-series will continue with the UAE facing Oman on Monday, followed by Nepal’s clash against Oman on Wednesday. All eyes remain on the Kirtipur pitch, where the “Rhino” fans are expected to turn out in thousands to support a team fighting to keep its World Cup dreams alive.