KATHMANDU, Jan 25: The U-19 national cricket team graduates Kamal Singh Airee and Kushal Malla have been included in the 14-men senior squad revealed by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), to participate in the
upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 to be held at TU Cricket Ground in Kathmandu from February 5-12.
The left-handed swashbuckling all-rounder Malla has made his T20I debut for Nepal in the tri-series against Singapore and Zimbabwe in end of September last year.
The 15-year-old has played three T20Is for Nepal whereas he has been included in the One-day International (ODI) squad for the first time.
Kamal Singh Airee, the opening pacebowler of U-19 national cricket, has been graduated to the national side to fill in the gap created by the absence of SompalKami due to illness.
Kami, the premier fast bowler of Nepal, is lacking Vitamin D3, hence, will miss the home tri-series against the United States and Oman.
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The 19-year-old has been included in the senior team for the first time.
The T20 cricket specialist Avinash Bohara will also be making his debut in ODI cricket after being named in the squad.
Previously, Bohara has played 17 T20Is for Nepal.
Likewise, veteran spinner Basant Regmi is set to miss the series after being excluded from the squad.
The bowling attack will be led by Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane, who is currently playing for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, the premier T20 event of Australia.
The two left-arm spinners doing well in domestic cricket, SushanBhari and Lalit Rajbanshi have been retained to form the spin bowling options.
In the batting department, captain Gyanendra Malla will be aided by former captain Paras Khadka, vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee and veteran SharadVesawkar.
Likewise, young batsman Rohit Kumar Paudel has been retained after returning couple of half-centuries in the three-match practice series against Malaysia held in Pokhara earlier this week.
Binod Bhandari is the lone wicket-keeper in the squad with SubashKhakurel, his nearest competitor, in the reserve list. Aarif Sheikh, who scored an unbeaten century against Malaysia in the practice series, will share the finishing duties with Bhandari.
Pawan Sarraf was the unfortunate casualty from the squad limited to reserve list.
The off-spinning all-rounder had scored half-century against India-U23 in the recently held Emerging Nations Cup in Bangaldesh.
Likewise, Sundeep Jora and Kishore Mahato are the other two names in the list.
The CAN also announced the six-men coaching staff which is led by head coach Umesh Patwal and accompanied by Jagat Tamata and Basanta Shahi as assistant coaches.
Squad
Gyanendra Malla (captain), Paras Khadka, Sharad Vesawkar, Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Rohit Kumar Paudel, Binod Bhandari, Kushal Malla, Karan KC, Avinash Bohara, Kamal Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sushan Bhari, Lalit Rajbanshi
Reserves: Pawan Sarraf, SubashKhakurel, Kishore Mahato, SundeepJora
Coaching Staff: Umesh Patwal (head coach), Jagat Tamatta (coach), Basanta Shahi (assistant coach), Vikram Nyaupane (physiotherapist), Raman Shiwakoti (analyst), Rishi Ram Gautam (manager)