Nepal announces squad for World Cup League-2, faces pressure to win all matches

Nepal has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup League-2 triangular series in Oman, where the national team faces immense pressure to win all its matches to retain its One-Day International (ODI) status.The Nepal Cricket Association (CAN), the Nepali cricket’s regulatory body, unveiled the squad led by captain Sandeep Lamichhane. The team includes key players such as Aasif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Dev Khanal, Ishan Pandey, Rohit Paudel, Arjun Kumal, and Sandeep Jora. Gulshan Jha, Bashir Ahmed, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Lalit Rajbanshi, Shahab Alam, and Sher Malla are also part of the squad. Nandan Yadav makes a comeback to the team, and spinner Shahab Alam has been included, while Hemant Dhami has been left out.The ICC Cricket World Cup League-2 is the second tier of the three-league Cricket World Cup qualification system, which began in 2019. In this tournament, seven teams compete, with each playing 36 One-Day International (ODI) matches. The top-ranked teams either advance directly to the World Cup Qualifiers or proceed to the World Cup Qualifier Play-off for another chance to qualify. Two teams from the Qualifiers then earn a spot in the next Cricket World Cup. ODI status grants national teams the right to play 50-over matches against each other.Nepal is currently in seventh place in the League-2 standings, having secured 24 points from 32 matches. The team is under significant pressure as it needs to win all its remaining matches in this series to maintain its ODI recognition. As of August 13, 2026, Scotland leads the table with 45 points, followed by the United States with 43 points and the Netherlands with 38 points. Oman is in fourth place with 31 points, Namibia fifth with 28 points, and Canada sixth with 25 points.Nepal’s schedule in Oman includes matches against Canada on October 11, against the host nation Oman on October 13, another game against Canada on October 17, and a final match against Oman on October 19. This series marks the final set of matches for both Nepal and Canada in the current League-2 cycle, while Oman still has two more series to play after this one.The Nepali national men’s cricket team recently returned home after participating in the 20th Asian Games in Japan. During the Asian Games, Nepal achieved a notable victory over Afghanistan by five wickets, a feat accomplished after 12 years. However, their campaign ended in the quarter-finals after their match against Sri Lanka was affected by rain. Earlier in August 2026, Nepal also took part in the ‘Top End T-20 Series’ held in Darwin, Australia.Retaining its One-Day International (ODI) status, which grants national teams the right to play 50-over matches, is crucial for Nepal. The team is under pressure to win all its matches in Oman to secure this recognition and ensure its continued participation in international cricket.