The 2024 edition of the Asian Cricket Council's (ACC) Premier Cup commences today with Nepal, the reigning champions, taking on Malaysia at the Al Amerat Stadium in Oman. The opening delivery is scheduled for 4:15 PM local time.
Nepal, in their first-ever title win in the 2023 edition (ODI format), aims to make a significant impact in the tournament with a convincing victory over Malaysia. Group A comprises Nepal, Hong Kong, Qatar, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia, while Group B comprises Oman, UAE, Cambodia, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The competition's winner will secure a coveted spot in the upcoming T20 Asia Cup, scheduled after the T20 World Cup.
Nepal has a strong batting lineup, with Dipendra Singh Airi, Kushal Malla, and Kushal Bhurtel expected to play a vital role in their batting performance. Their consistent performance will be essential for Nepal's success. In terms of bowling, it will be critical to take early wickets to counter the threat posed by Malaysia's key batsmen, such as Virandeep Singh, Sharwin Muniandi, and Syed Aziz. Spinner Pawandeep Singh's expertise and abilities will enhance Nepal's bowling lineup.
Historically, Nepal has been quite successful against Malaysia in T20I matches, winning 8 out of 9 encounters. Nevertheless, they suffered their only loss against Malaysia in the 2020 ACC Eastern Region. Despite chasing a modest target of 155, they fell short by 22 runs.
Nepal Squad:
Rohit Paudel as the captain and Asif Sheikh as the wicketkeeper.
Kushal Bhurtel
Kushal Malla
Vivek Yadav
Sandeep Jora
Anil Shah
Gulshan Jha
Dipendra Singh Airi
Lalit Rajbanshi Karan KC
Sompal Kami
Pratish JC
Abhinash Bohra
