The Cricket Association of Nepal has announced the Nepali men’s national cricket team to compete in the Asian Games cricket qualifiers scheduled to take place in Singapore. The squad includes captain Dipendra Singh Airee alongside returning players Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, and Karan KC. The tournament will run from September 17 to October 3 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with the top four teams earning qualification for the Asian Games.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) issued a statement confirming the team selection. Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, and Karan KC, who will not participate in the upcoming UAE series, have been recalled to the squad for this event.
A total of 13 nations are competing in the T20 international qualifier, with Nepal placed in Group A alongside Thailand and Indonesia. The Nepali squad features Dipendra Singh Airee (captain), Rohit Paudel, Lokesh Bam, Nandan Yadav, Karan KC, Kushal Bhurtel, Sandeep Jora, Sandeep Lamichhane, Arif Sheikh, Sahab Alam, Asif Sheikh, Kushal Mall, Sher Mall, and Sompal Kami.
According to the tournament format, the top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals. The four semifinalists will then secure their spots in the 2026 Asian Games. Group B consists of Oman, Maldives, and Singapore; Group C includes Hong Kong, Bahrain, and South Korea; and Group D features Malaysia, Qatar, China, and Uzbekistan.
The top four teams emerging from the qualifiers will join automatic entrants India (the defending champion), Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and host nation Japan at the Asian Games. This event will be held from September 17 to October 3 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Nepal’s previous participation in the Asian Games was based on ICC ranking, during which the team set a record by scoring 314 runs against Mongolia.
