Nepal has announced 15-man squad for upcoming ACC U19 Asia Cup 2017 to be held in Malaysia from 9th to 20th of November.
Nepal U19 will be joined by Test nations India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Afghanistan along with host Malaysia.Whereas the winner of 2017 ACC U19 Asia Cup Western Qualifiers will also join the tournament. UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Iran, Kuwait, Maldives & Qatar are vying for the final slot in the western region qualifiers which is going to take place in Malaysia from 31stOctober to 7th November.
Right handed batsman Jitendra Thakuri and right arm seamer Rashid Khan are two new names added in the Nepal U19 squad for the tournament. Thakuri has previously played for Nepal U16 team and was also part of Kathmandu Goldens in Dhangadi Premier League. Although Rashid Khan hasn’t represented Nepal in any age group teams before but impressed with a 5-wicket haul against Western Region playing for Mid-Western Region in the Regional Tournament.
Leg spinner Bikram Bhusal and Batsman Sandeep Jora have been left out of the victorious squad that played 2017 ACC Asia Cup Eastern Qualifiers.
Right arm seamer Kamal Singh Airee and Wicket-keeper batsman Prakash KC have made comeback into the squad. Kamal Singh Airee underperformed in the U19 World Cup qualifiers held in Singapore. Airee also has an experience of playing in 2016 ACC Asia Cup where he played a lone match against Sri Lanka and picked 3 wickets.
Dipendra Singh Airee will lead the team which comprises of Rashid Khan, Kamal Singh Airee and Kishore Mahato as the 3 seamers. Similarly, Shahab Alam, Bhim Sharki, Pawan Sharraf and star leggie Sandeep Lamichhane are the 4 spinners in the team. While Rohit Paudel, Jitendra Sigh Thakuri, Sandeep Sunar, Pranit Thapa, Anil Kumar Shah, Aasif Sheikh, Prakash KC and Skipper Dipendra Singh Airee are the 8 batsmen in the 15-man squad.
Nepal U19 Squad :-
1. Dipendra Singh Airee (Batting All-rounder)
2. Rohit Paudel (Batting All-rounder)
3. Sandeep Lamichhane (Leg Spinner)
4. Sandeep Sunar (Batsman)
5. Pranit Thapa Magar (Batsman)
6. Anil Kumar Shah (Batsman)
7. Pawan Sharraf (Off-spinner All-rounder)
8. Mohammed Aasif Sheikh (Wicket-Keeper/Batsman)
9. Kishore Mahato (Seamer)
10. Shahab Alam (Left arm orthodox)
11. Prakash KC (Wicket-Keeper/Batsman)
12. Kamal Singh Airee (Seamer)
13. Bhim Sharki (Left arm orthodox All-rounder)
14. Rashid Khan (Seamer)
15. Jitendra Singh (Batsman)
Backup Players :-
1. Sandeep Jora
2. Bikram Kumar Bhusal
3. Ankit Subedi
4. Bijaya Chaudary
The selection committee comprising of coach Binod Das and ACC (Asian Cricket Council) consultant Venkatapathy Raju announced the 15-man squad.
Nepal U19 will play a 3 match one-day series against the Bangladesh U19 team as a part of preparation for the U19 Asia Cup. Nepal U19 will travel to Dhaka on 30th of October and will play those 3 matches on 2nd, 4th and 5th of November.
After the one-day series, Nepal U19 squad will travel back home on 6th of October and then travel to Malaysia for the ACC U19 Asia Cup.
The Nepali team is currently training at the TU Cricket Ground. Nepal U19 qualified for the ACC U19 Asia Cup after winning the ACC U19 Asia Cup Eastern Qualifiers held in Malaysia last month.
Nepal also qualified for 2016 ACC U19 Asia Cup held in Sri Lanka where they were knocked out from the group stage of the tournament.
