Nepal to face Afghanistan (ICC Under- 19 WC)

Nepal will take on Afghanistan in the opening match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup qualifiers in Ireland on July 28.

Nepal are preparing for the 10-team round robin qualifiers under coach Jagat Tamata. Top six nations will make it to the ICC U-19 World Cup to be held in 2012. 

As the International Cricket Council (ICC) has already decided to scrap the format from next year, this will be the final opportunity for these 10 nations — two each from five continents — to make it to the ICC event through qualifiers. 

After the match against Afghanistan, Nepal will face Scotland the next day. Nepal will play against Kenya on June 31 before facing Vanuatu on August 1. Nepal are scheduled to take on Canada on August 3 before playing three back-to-back matches against Namibia, Ireland and Papua New Guinea from August 5. Nepal will wrap up the campaign with a match against the United States of America on August 9.

Nepal have picked a 18-member squad under Prithu Baskota, who led the team to runner-up finish in the U-19 Elite Cup behind Afghanistan in Thailand earlier this year.

Other players named in the squad include Sagar Pun, Bhuwan Karki, Naresh Budhayer, Failzur Rahman Khan, Rajesh Pulami, Subash Khakurel, Rahul Biswakarma, Avinash Karn, Krishna Karki and Pradeep Airee.

All those competed in the ACC U-19 Elite Cup where Nepal finished second behindAfghanistan to qualify for the U-19 WC qualifiers.

CAN selected seven new cricketers who were no part of the ACC event. They are Jitendra Mukhiya, Subendu Pandey, Amit Dahal, Amrit Shrestha, Amit Shrestha, Rupesh Srivastav and Nischal Pandey. Jagat Tamata is named the coach.

Nepal’s fixtures

• July 28 vs Afghanistan

• July 29 vs Scotland

• July 31 vs Kenya

• August 1 vs Vanuatu

• August 3 vs Canada

• August 5 vs Namibia

• August 6 vs Ireland

• August 7 vs PNG

• August 9 vs USA