KATHMANDU, Sept 8: Nepal national cricket team is set to face Zimbabwe in the inaugural match of the T20I tri-series to be hosted by Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) from September 27 to October 3 in Indian Association Ground in Singapore.
The host team, Singapore, will then take on Nepal in the second match of the tri-series on September 28. Similarly, Nepal will face Zimbabwe on October 1 and Singapore on October 2 to wrap up the T20I series.
Nepal will feature in at least eight T20I matches in a span of two weeks which includes the Oman tour matches against the likes of the Netherlands, Ireland and Hong Kong. Nepal is also scheduled to feature in five-team T20I tournament including hosts Oman after the series in Singapore.
Nepal team’s media manager Suraj Shakya informed that the national team confirmed the participation after ICC approved on Saturday.
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Nepal will face test nation Zimbabwe in the first of the four matches during the tri-series. Three teams will compete in a double round-robin league format, before the top two teams meet in the final. All the matches will be played at Indian Association Ground under the flood lights.
According to the schedule, Nepal will head to Oman on October 4 after completing the tri-series in Singapore to participate in five-team T20I series from October 5 to 10.
Nepal had missed the opportunity to feature in the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers scheduled for October 18 to November 2 after losing to Singapore in the must win match during the ICC T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifiers held in July.
Likewise, Zimbabwe will be travelling to Singapore after completing their tour of Bangladesh, where they will play another T20I tri-series against the host’s and Afghanistan.
Zimbabwe has announced the squad for the Singapore tri-series which excludes Sikandar Raza due to disciplinary issues and Hamilton Masakadza who is set to retire after the tour to Bangladesh. Left hand all-rounder Sean Williams will take over the captaincy from retiring Masakadza.
Zimbabwe is currently banned from ICC events due to governance issues and will not feature in the ICC events starting from ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers starting in October.
Nepal and Singapore are yet to announce their respective squads.
ZIMBABWE SQUAD
Sean Williams (capt), Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Richmond Mutumbami, Neville Madziva, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Tony Munyonga, Daniel Jakiel, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza, William Mashinge, Peter Moor, Timycen Maruma, Craig Ervine
