Rohit Paudel to captain the side in Group C; squad reduced from 24-player training camp
Nepal’s Cricket Association finally revealed its 15-player squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Monday. Rohit Paudel will captain the team. Dipendra Singh Airee serves as vice captain.
The tournament runs from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka. The selectors reduced the squad from a 24-player training camp. Nine players were cut from the original camp list. This is Nepal’s third World Cup appearance overall and their second in a row.
Full 15-Player Squad
Nepal selected three specialist spinners, four pace bowlers, and five all-rounders. The complete squad is:
- Rohit Paudel (captain, all-rounder)
- Dipendra Singh Airee (vice captain, all-rounder)
- Sandeep Lamichhane (spinner)
- Kushal Bhurtel (batter)
- Aasif Sheikh (wicketkeeper)
- Sundeep Jora (all-rounder)
- Aarif Sheikh (all-rounder)
- Basir Ahamad (spinner)
- Sompal Kami (pacer)
- Karan KC (pacer)
- Nandan Yadav (pacer)
- Gulshan Jha (all-rounder)
- Lalit Rajbanshi (spinner)
- Sher Malla (pacer)
- Lokesh Bam (batter)
Rohit Paudel Leads Nepal’s Squad
Rohit Paudel is 23 years old. He is an all-around player who bats right-handed and bowls off-spin for Nepal. Since 2023, Paudel has been the captain of Nepal. Nepal won 12 of 20 T20 internationals with him in charge.
Fun fact, there might be a chance of them winning 60% of the time.
Dipendra Singh Airee makes the team more balanced. He bats in the middle order and throws spin. The all-rounder gives you different ways to play depending on the situation.
Sandeep Lamichhane Leads Three-Spinner Attack
The spin attack is led by Sandeep Lamichhane. He has played in more than 50 T20 international matches, making him Nepal’s most experienced player. After his legal case ended with an acquittal in December 2024, Lamichhane rejoined the team. He bowls leg-spin and puts pressure on the other team in the middle overs.
Four-Pacer Attack Led by Kami and KC
Nepal picked four specialist pace bowlers. Sompal Kami and Karan KC lead the pace unit. Both bowlers handle new ball duties and death overs. Kami has played 50 T20 internationals for Nepal. KC bowls at speeds over 140 km per hour regularly.
Nandan Yadav adds variety to the pace attack. Sher Malla earned his place ahead of Bhim Sharki, who was cut from the training camp. Malla is 22 years old and showed strong death bowling skills during camp practice sessions.
Five All-Rounders Give Nepal Flexibility
Kushal Bhurtel opens the batting. He plays an aggressive role at the top of the order. Aasif Sheikh keeps wickets and bats in the top order. He provides stability behind the stumps and with the bat.
Lokesh Bam bats in the middle order. He replaced Kushal Malla, who played in Nepal’s 2024 World Cup squad but was cut from the final 15. The selectors chose current form over past World Cup experience.
Nepal selected five all-rounders in total: Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sundeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, and Gulshan Jha, giving the captain flexibility. This allows Nepal to adjust its playing eleven based on pitch conditions.
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Group C Fixtures
Nepal competes in Group C alongside England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Italy. All four of Nepal’s group matches take place at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match schedule is:
- February 8: Nepal vs England
- February 12: Nepal vs Italy
- February 15: Nepal vs West Indies
- February 17: Nepal vs Bangladesh
The top two teams from Group C advance to the Super Eight stage. England and the West Indies are considered the strongest opponents in the group. Nepal faces tough competition but aims to improve on its 2024 performance.
Players Cut from Training Camp
Nine players from the 24-member training camp did not make the final squad. The players cut are Kushal Malla, Aadil Ansari, Sahab Alam, Bhim Sharki, Ishan Pandey, Binod Bhandari, Abinash Bohora, Pratish GC, and Rupesh K Singh.
Kushal Malla played all four matches in the 2024 T20 World Cup and holds the fastest century in a T20 international series. The 24-year-old middle-order batter has a T20 international average of 18. The selectors preferred Lokesh Bam, who showed better form in recent domestic cricket.
Recent Form and Qualification
Nepal beat West Indies 2-1 in a T20 international series between September and October 2025. They qualified for the World Cup with an unbeaten run at the Asia-Pacific Regional Final in Oman.
At the 2024 T20 World Cup, Nepal failed to win any of their four group matches. They exited in the group stage. The team hopes to improve this record with experience gained over the past year.
The Cricket Association of Nepal also unveiled the team jersey on January 6, 2026. T10 Sports are designed by an Indian sportswear company. The jersey features red, blue, and white colors with the national flag of Nepal on both shoulders.
For more news and updates on Nepal Cricket and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, follow Jeetwin Sports
