Nepal cricket team lands in Hong Kong, begins preparations for T20 World Cup

Prateek Bhatta Tuesday, April 8, 2025

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Kathmandu, April 8

After nearly five months away from the international stage, the Nepal national cricket team has landed in Hong Kong to kick off its campaign for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers.

A four-nation T20I series begins Wednesday in Hong Kong featuring hosts Hong Kong, Nepal, Kuwait, and Qatar. The teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with the top two advancing to the final. Nepal has previously faced all three teams.

Nepal will play with Qatar in the opening match on Wednesday at 6:45 AM NPT.

This tournament marks the start of Nepal’s official preparation for a busy year in international cricket. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has already released a packed calendar that includes key series across formats, designed to gear the team up for crucial qualifiers and tournaments.

New faces and returns in revamped squad

This T20I series is Nepal’s first international outing since November 2024, when the team last played against the USA and Scotland in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. In the interim, players have participated in domestic competitions including the Nepal Premier League and the PM Cup One-Day tournament.

A few changes have been made to the squad for this series. Fast bowlers Basir Ahmad and Lokesh Bam, along with spinner Shahab Alam, have returned to the national setup, while pacer Nandan Yadav has earned his maiden T20I call-up.

Captain Rohit Paudel expressed optimism, saying, “The team feels balanced. We’ve got some strong comebacks, and this series will be a valuable step in our World Cup preparations. We’re confident about performing well.”

Eye on October’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers

The ICC T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia-Pacific Qualifiers are scheduled for October this year. In the run-up to that, Nepal will play a series of practice matches and international fixtures abroad to fine-tune their form.

Though this Hong Kong tournament is short, it provides a timely return to international T20 action, helping players regain rhythm. The team had only five days of preparation after the PM Cup but is aiming for victory nonetheless.

“Our training time was short, but it was productive,” said Paudel. “Right now, the focus is on executing our plans on the field.”

Senior spinner Lalit Rajbanshi echoed similar sentiments, “There are no easy games anymore. Every match is important, and we have to play quality cricket.”

Familiar foes await

Nepal has a strong competitive history against these teams. Ranked 17th in the ICC T20I rankings, Nepal is ahead of Hong Kong (23rd), Kuwait (24th), and Qatar (28th).

Nepal and Hong Kong are well-matched rivals, each winning five of their 11 previous T20I encounters, with one match ending without a result. In their last face-off in Hong Kong, both teams won one game apiece.

Nepal has played Kuwait only once in T20Is, securing a win during the 2019 Asia Regional Qualifier. Against Qatar, Nepal has a mixed record—one win and one loss in two matches. Notably, Qatar had upset Nepal during the 2019 qualifiers, costing Nepal a World Cup spot. However, Nepal avenged that loss in the 2024 ACC Premier Cup, where Dipendra Singh Airee famously smashed six sixes in a single over.

All matches will be held at the Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok, where Nepal has played before. In March 2024, Nepal was bowled out for just 85 runs and lost to Papua New Guinea in the final of a tri-series held at the same venue.

Former captain Gyanendra Malla takes on coaching role

In a notable change, former captain Gyanendra Malla has joined the national squad as head coach for the first time. Though he previously coached Nepal’s squad in the Hong Kong Sixes, that event was not ICC-sanctioned.

Expressing gratitude to CAN, Malla said, “It’s an honour to return in a new role. This opportunity means a lot, and I’m thankful for the trust placed in me.”

Interestingly, Malla has played alongside many of the current squad members in recent years, which could help build strong chemistry.

Captain Paudel welcomed Malla’s appointment, saying, “With Gyanendra dai, it doesn’t feel like a big change. He knows the team well, and we’re excited to work under him.”