Nepal Cricket Team Reaches Chennai for World Cup Warm-up Matches

Kathmandu. Intensifying its preparations for the ICC World Cup, the Nepali national cricket team has arrived in Chennai after completing two practice matches in Mumbai. Nepal will finalize its preparations by playing two warm-up matches in Chennai before the World Cup begins.

Nepal will compete against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in its first practice match today. According to the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), the match will take place at 5:15 PM at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Nepal and the UAE have shared a long-standing competitive rivalry.

Additionally, Nepal will play its second practice match against Canada on Thursday. Both practice matches are being held at the MA Chidambaram ground, the same venue where World Cup matches will be played, which is expected to help the team acclimate to the field and conditions.

Nepal will begin its World Cup journey on February 8 by playing against England. Nepal is placed in Group C of the World Cup, alongside two-time world champion West Indies, one-time champion England, Scotland, and Italy.

According to the schedule, Nepal will compete against Italy on February 12, West Indies on February 15, and Scotland on February 17. Nepal will play all its group-stage matches in Mumbai.

Tickets for all of the Nepali team's matches have already been sold out, indicating a significant presence and enthusiasm from Nepali supporters in the Indian stadiums.

Nepal previously played in the 2014 and 2024 World Cups. This third World Cup participation is viewed as a sign of continuous progress in Nepali cricket.

The Nepali squad for the World Cup includes Captain Rohit Paudel, Vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, Basir Ahamad, Gulshan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla, and Lokesh Bam.

In this World Cup, Group A consists of India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia; Group B includes Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman; and Group D features South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, and the UAE. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight.