Kathmandu, Februrary 2
Representatives of the International Cricket Council recently visited Kathmandu’s cricket ground, and told local cricket officials to prepare to host Kenya next month.
Nepal are likely to play Kenya in their first World Cricket League encounter of the new year on March 11. The next match of the series has been tentatively scheduled for March 13.
The ICC’s Bandula Warnapura and Gurjeet Singh visited the TU Cricket Ground, and said the ICC was positive about hosting the match in Kathmandu, a source told Onlinekhabar.
The source quoted Warnapura as saying that the ICC will soon confirm the date and the venue after a routine security audit of the ground. The ICC is certain to organise the series on its own as Nepal’s Cricket Association remains suspended.
The 2016 season of the ICC World Cricket League concluded following the end of Hong Kong’s tour of Kenya on last year. The League, which began in 2015 will conclude in 2017, and four top sides get a chance to play the ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2019.
All teams have now played eight matches. Papua New Guinea lead the table with 12 points, followed by the Netherlands (12), Hong Kong (11), Kenya (8) and Nepal (6). Namibia and the UAE are the two teams at the bottom of the league.
Nepal have only won three of their eight matches so far. Out of the three wins, only one has come playing abroad. After the Kenaya match, Nepal head to Hong Kong in July and host the UAE in the second half of the year. Going by the table standings for now, Hong Kong, Kenya and Nepal are likely to face a tough battle this season to at least get to or retain or the fourth spot in the league.
