Nepal Cricket (Photo Source: Twitter)
The Asia Cup 2023 is just a few days away and the excitement of cricket supporters can be witnessed everywhere to watch the marquee tournament played among Asian sides. This time, India and Pakistan are the top contenders to win this competition while Afghanistan and Bangladesh could pose a tough challenge to the favourites. Among these sides, Nepal is another team that will mark their debut in the Asian championship.
In the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023, Nepal played outstanding cricket and became the champions of the tournament to qualify for the Asia Cup 2023 to be held from August 31 to September 17, 2023. Nepal are placed in Group A along with India and Pakistan. Although their chances are low to qualify for the next round, their players’ endeavours will be to put up some fight against both the favourites of the competition.
Let’s have a look at Nepal’s best XI for the upcoming continental tournament-
1. Kushal Bhurtel
Kushal Bhurtel (Photo Source; Twitter)
Kushal Bhurtel might be seen as an opener for Nepal. He has been active in international cricket since 2021 and so far, he has amassed 986 runs in 44 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), with a ton and six fifties. The Asia Cup 2023 will be the best opportunity for him to showcase his batting mettle and help his side be effective.
This year, the right-handed batter is in incredible form as he has scored 544 runs in 19 matches with a century and three fifties. In the Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, he slammed his maiden ton (115 off 113) against Namibia and became the recipient of the Player of the Match award.
Bhurtel’s performance wasn’t up to the mark in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup. Playing five matches in the tournament, he could score only 84 runs at a strike rate of 89.36. However, forgetting his failures, he will look to be stunning in the marquee event coming ahead.
2. Aasif Sheikh (wicketkeeper)
Aasif Sheikh (Photo Source: Twitter)
The 22-year-old Aasif Sheikh’s responsibility will be to deliver fierce starts and keep the wickets for his side. Serving Nepal since September 2021, he has scored 1187 runs with a hundred and nine fifties in 41 ODIs. This year, he has accumulated 532 runs in 18 matches at a strike rate of 81.72.
Appearing in the Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, he notched up a match-winning century (110 off 110) for his team against Papua New Guinea. The scintillating century was also his first ton in international cricket. He was inefficient with his bat in the Men’s Premier Cup, scoring only 59 runs in five games at a strike rate of 75.64.
In the Asia Cup 2023, his role will be crucial for Nepal’s maiden campaign. Along with Bhurtel, he will be expected to provide decent starts to his team. Currently, he is the second-most successful batter for Nepal in ODIs, and with this reputation, there will be a responsibility on his back to help the team do well in the competition.
3. Arjun Saud
Arjun Saud (Photo Source: Twitter)
Arjun Saud might be seen reinforcing the team‘s top order, playing as a number three batter. In November 2022, he broke into ODI cricket and thus far, he has got a chance to represent his national side in nine one-day matches, in which he has scored only 174 runs with a fifty in his debut ODI game against the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In the World Cup 2023 Qualifiers, Nepal failed to do wonders but Saud looked confident with his bat in the tournament. Getting a couple of games from his team, he scored 49 runs. Apart from batting, Saud could also keep wickets for the team in case Sheikh fails to register his presence in any of the games of the competition.
Nepal played in the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup 2023, to prepare well for the upcoming tournament. Saud played a couple of games in the tournament but scored only 17 runs. However, the 20-year-old has the potential to rock the upcoming tournament with his batting and he will look to do so.
4. Rohit Paudel (C)
Rohit Paudel. (Photo Source: Johan Rynners-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Rohit Paudel will be leading Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023, as the Cricket Association of Nepal found him the best to be the captain of the side. Paudel is active in ODI cricket since August 2018, and currently, he is the leading run-getter for his side in the format, scoring 1469 runs with a ton and eight fifties in 52 games.
This year, he has appeared in 20 ODIs and has scored 524 runs with three fifties. In the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023, Paudel exuded confidence with his bat, racking up 187 runs in five games at a strike rate of 86.17. With these batting numbers, he ended up as the second-highest run-scorer for Nepal in the tournament.
Paudel captained Nepal in the Men’s Emerging Cup played recently. The batting all-rounder scored 78 runs in three games of the tournament, with a fifty against India A. Considering his experience and skills, Nepal cricket fans will keep their expectations high from Paudel.
5. Kushal Malla
Kushal Malla. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Kushal Malla will strengthen Nepal’s middle order with his bat. While with the ball, he will provide support to the team’s spin department, along with Sandeep Lamichhane. Malla, who made his debut in ODI cricket in 2020, has got a chance to play 27 matches in three years.
As a batter, he has scored 626 runs with a century and four fifties in 27 matches. While in the bowling department, he has contributed 18 wickets to his side in 22 innings at an economy of 4.63. Malla was the top performer with the bat in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup, 2023. The 19-year-old hit 238 runs with a ton and a couple of fifties in four innings of five games.
However, he failed to be at his best in the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup, scoring only 19 runs in three matches. Serving the team with the ball, he struggled to be among the wickets. Malla will look to utilise his experience and talent to help Nepal to be impressive in their maiden Asia Cup edition.
6. Dipendra Singh Airee
Dipendra Singh Airee (Photo Source: twitter)
Dipendra Singh Airee might be seen donning the role of a finisher with the bat for his team in the marquee tournament. Batting in the lower-middle-order, Airee has played some sensational knocks for Nepal. Playing 50 ODIs, the 23-year-old has scored 857 runs with a century and three fifties.
With the ball, he has picked up 36 wickets in 44 innings at a thrifty economy of 3.88. Airee featured in four games in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup but he failed to be effective with both bat and ball. The young all-round could rack up only 24 runs and a couple of wickets in the series.
The Nepal team management will expect Airee to make a huge contribution in all three departments of the game in the massive ODI series coming ahead. As one of the most experienced players in the squad, Airee will have to deliver his best so that Nepal could give some competition to the heavyweights India and Pakistan in Group A.
7. Sompal Kami
Sompal Kami (Photo Source: Twitter)
Sompal Kami is another talented all-rounder who could provide solid numbers to Nepal with both bat and ball. The 27-year-old debuted in ODIs in August 2018 and as a batter, he has scored 478 runs with a couple of fifties in 36 innings of 47 games. While with the ball, he has claimed 63 wickets in 47 innings at a frugal economy of 4.99.
This year, he has played 15 matches, in which he has got 13 wickets at an economy of 4.93. Kami also played an essential role with the ball to help Nepal qualify for the Asia Cup 2023. He chipped in with eight wickets and 87 runs in five games to help Nepal win the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023.
Kami struggled to be among the wickets in the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup. However, with the bat, he again delivered a satisfactory show, piling up 89 runs in two matches. The talented all-rounder will back himself to play aggressive cricket in the upcoming tournament to help Nepal give some tough time to the opponents.
8. Sandeep Lamichhane
Sandeep Lamichhane. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Sandeep Lamichhane will spearhead Nepal’s spin attack in the competition. He has played a lot of league cricket all around the world and now, the Asia Cup 2023 will be the best stage for him to exhibit his talent for his national side Nepal. The dashing leg-spinner is one of the most experienced players in the Nepal team as he is active in ODI cricket since August 2018.
He scalped 13 wickets in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023 and ended up as the best bowler for his team in the competition. Noting his reputation as a wicket-taking bowler, Nepal will expect the spinner to light up the Asia Cup 2023 for them with his amazing bowling talent.
Lamichhane knows the conditions in Pakistan as he served Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2019. The leggie grabbed 11 wickets in seven matches of that PSL installment and ended up as the joint-most successful bowler for Lahore, along with Haris Rauf. Lamichhane’s endeavours will be to utilise his experience and deliver amazing numbers to his team in the massive event.
9. Karan KC
Karan KC (Photo Source : Twitter)
Karan KC will be a vital cog in Nepal’s upcoming campaign in the continental tournament. His side will want him to step up in the important event and deliver some solid figures to the team with both bat and ball. Karan broke into ODI cricket in August 2018, and since then he has appeared in 46 ODIs so far.
In his five-year ODI career, Karan has chalked up 349 runs in 31 innings of 46 games. As a bowler, he has clinched 73 wickets at an economy of 5.25. Karan delivered a notable bowling performance in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup to help Nepal qualify for the Asia Cup 2023 as the sixth team.
He took 10 wickets in only three matches at an economy of 4.90 and concluded his journey in the competition as the second-leading wicket-taker for his side. The 31-year-old will strive to play his part efficiently in the Asia Cup 2023 so that Nepal can create an impact in their first edition of the Asia Cup.
10. Pratish GC
Pratish GC (Photo Source: Twitter)
The young pacer Pratish GC will reinforce Nepal’s pace attack with his brilliant bowling talent. In February 2023, Pratish made his international debut against Papua New Guinea in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. Till now, Pratish has played three ODIs for Nepal, in which he has scalped two wickets at an economy of 4.28.
Despite noting his inexperience, the Cricket Association of Nepal picked up Pratish to provide strength to their pace attack in the Asia Cup 2023. The teenage player is a left-arm pacer and most likely has been picked after Indian batters have been found to be struggling against the left-arm speedsters in the past. Hence, Nepal might prepare Pratish to trouble India in the enormous event to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
In the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup, Pratish didn’t perform well with the ball but the teen cricket showed in the tournament that he could be handy with the bat down the order. He scored 34 runs in two matches of the competition at a fabulous strike rate of 125.92. Now, his endeavours will be to grab this opportunity with both hands and help Nepal be impactful in the Asia Cup 2023.
11. Lalit Rajbanshi
Lalit Rajbanshi (Photo Source: Twitter)
Lalit Rajbanshi will lead Nepal’s fast-bowling unit in the Asia Cup 2023. He has played 21 matches in his five-year ODI career and has bagged 28 wickets in 17 innings at an economy of 3.56. With speedsters such as Sompal Kami and Karan KC, his role will be to provide early breakthroughs to his side with the ball.
The 24-year-old fast bowler was a wicket-taking and economical bowler for Nepal in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup. He notched up nine wickets in five games at a notable economy of 3.28. Playing the final match against the UAE, Rajbanshi took a four-wicket haul to guide his team to a seven-wicket win. In 2023, the young speedster has taken 18 wickets in 10 matches at an economy of 3.39. Noting his current form, captain Paudel will also want the paceman to display his mettle.