Among 12 midfielders undergoing the national team´s closed camp training, Sulav Maskey, Shiva Shrestha and Pradip Maharjan didn´t make the cut. Similarly, defender Palsang Lama and goalkeeper Bikesh Kutu have also been left out. [break]
New faces in the team include U-16 defender Ananta Tamang and Nepal Army Club midfielder Tek Budhathoki. Similarly, U-16 star striker Bimal Gharti Magar has also been included in the list unveiled by ANFA on Saturday. Gharti Magar has already made his national team debut in September 2012 during a friendly against Bangladesh. Gharti scored six goals in the SAFF U-16 Championship that concluded earlier this week in Kathmandu.
Rohit Chand and Bharat Khawas are also included in the squad. Chand, a regular defender of the national team, is currently playing professional football in Indonesia while Khawas in undergoing training for second lieutenant in the Nepal Army.
"We are taking initiatives for Khawas´ release from the Army training. He will join the team in the Gulf after getting permission from the Nepal Army," said Lalit Krishna Shrestha, the leader of the team and vice-president of ANFA.
The team includes the highest 11 players from national champion Three Star, followed by four each from departmental teams Nepal Army Club and Nepal Police Club. Similarly, three players from Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) have been selected for the team.
The team led by Polish coach Jack Stefanowski and assistant coach Richard Orlowski will play four friendly matches during the tour. "The team is likely to play four friendly matches during the tour," said Shrestha. "We are also in contact with Chand´s club. He will fly from Indonesia to join the team for the friendly matches." Shrestha, however, did not confirm when the duo would join the team.
According to Shrestha, the team will visit Kuwait after Bahrain. The final 20-member squad will be declared after the team returns home on August 25.
The players selected for the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers held in March -- custodian Kutu, defender Jeetendra Karki and forwards Amar Dangol and Chetan Ghimire -- could not make it to the list.
Nepali team
Goalkeeper: Kiran Chemjong, Ritesh Thapa, Bishal Shrestha
Defender: Sandeep Rai, Sagar Thapa, Rabin Shrestha, Sabindra Shrestha, Bijay Dhimal, Biraj Maharjan, Rohit Chand, Ananta Tamang
Midfielder: Bhola Silwal, Bijay Gurung, Raju Tamang, Prakash Budhathoki, Jagjeet Shrestha, Nirajan Khadka, Bikram Lama, Tanka Basnet, Tek Bahadur Budhathoki (12)
Forward: Jumanu Rai, Santosh Sahukhala, Anil Gurung, Bharat Khawas, Bimal Gharti Magar
Coach: Jack Stefanowski, Assistant coach: Richard Orlowski
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