Nepal announce full-strength squad for T20 World Cup 2024

The Nepal cricket team have announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, which will commence on June 2 in the West Indies and the USA. Rohit Paudel, who has been in supreme form with the bat in the T20I series against the West Indies, will lead the side.

Aarif Sheikh, Bibek Yadav and Aakash Chand are the names missing from the expanded squad that is currently playing the unofficial T20I series against the West Indies. Sandeep Lamichhane's conviction has come as a massive blow for the national team ahead of the showpiece event.

The experienced touring party also comprises of Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Sompal Kami, and Dipendra Airee. Airee created history in April by joining Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard as the only batters to clobber six sixes in an over in T20Is. Airee accomplished the feat during the ACC Men's Premier Cup fixture against Qatar.

Nepal squad: Rohit Paudel (capt.), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee.

Nepal beat West Indies in 1st unofficial T20I before losing the other two

Meanwhile, the ongoing unofficial T20I series in Kirtipur saw the hosts beat the Men in Maroon in their opening game by successfully chasing down over 200 after Paudel's 54-ball 112. However, they lost the next two matches by 10 and 76 runs respectively.

Nepal are clubbed with South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands, and Sri Lanka in Group D for the T20 World Cup 2024. Their campaign commences against the Netherlands on June 4 in Dallas. The Asian cricketing nation had competed in the 2014 T20 World Cup hosted by Bangladesh and went on to beat Hong Kong and Afghanistan in their group fixtures.