Kathmandu: Nepal will play four matches in Oman next week that could decide whether they keep their One Day International (ODI) status. The matches are the last of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.
Nepal are seventh in the eight team table with 24 points from 32 matches. They have won 11, lost 19 and shared points in two. Canada are sixth with 25 points. Only the top six teams keep ODI status, so Nepal need to pass Canada.
Matches in Oman
Nepal will play Canada and hosts Oman, starting around 11 October 2026. Sandeep Lamichhane will captain the team.
Nepal’s hope of reaching the World Cup Qualifier directly is almost gone. In the last League 2 series, in the Netherlands, they lost all four matches.
The team then changed its captain and Lamichhane replaced Rohit Paudel. Under him, Nepal won the ACC Premier Cup. The team then went to Japan for the Asian Games T20 event and has since returned.
Most of the Premier Cup players are in the squad again and team spirit is high. Lamichhane said the team’s rhythm has changed and that the goal is to save ODI status and take Nepal to the World Cup Qualifier.
Head coach Stuart Law said it is easy to talk about winning but the team must also know the process and carry out the plan on the field.
The table
Scotland are first with 45 points from 36 matches and have finished all their games. The USA are second with 43 points and the Netherlands are third with 38. These three are sure to stay in the top three.
Oman are fourth with 31 points from 28 matches. Namibia are fifth with 29 points, Canada sixth with 25, Nepal seventh with 24 and the UAE eighth with 19 points from 29 matches.
Nepal are one point behind Canada but that is not enough on its own. The remaining matches and the results of other teams must also go their way.
The USA, Namibia and the UAE are playing a series in the United States now and its results will clear up the picture before Nepal, Oman and Canada meet. The UAE, the Netherlands and Oman will then play the last League 2 series.
Squad changes
Nepal made only small changes to the Premier Cup team. Nandan Yadav is back in place of Hemant Dhami and left arm spinner Shahab Alam has been added.
Somepal Kami, Kushal Bhurtel and Bhim Sarki are not in the squad. They did not play in the Premier Cup either.
Asif Sheikh and Arjun Kumal will keep opening the batting. Nepal have many spinners but fewer fast bowlers.
Karan KC and Nandan Yadav are the main pacers and Gulsan Jha will bowl a few overs as a part time pacer. The playing XI is hard to predict.
What happens if Nepal fail
If Nepal finish seventh or eighth, they may have to play play offs against Challenge League teams. Batting problems have often hurt Nepal in League 2 and fans and officials will be watching closely.
Nepal Squad: Sandeep Lamichhane (captain), Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Paudel, Asif Sheikh, Arjun Kumal, Ishan Pandey, Dev Khanal, Sundeep Jora, Basir Ahmad, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Lalit Rajbanshi, Shahab Alam, Sher Malla
Coach: Stuart Law
Manager: Suman Raj Karki
