TU cricket ground to host first ever one-day international series in 2020

Published On: May 8, 2019 08:42 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

A side view of Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur is pictured in this file photo dated December 27, 2018.

ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 schedule announced

KATHMANDU, May 8: Nepal is set to host its first ever One-Day International (ODI) series after the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the first eight series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 to begin in August 2019 on the Road to India 2023.

Nepal will enter history books when it hosts the United States and Oman for a tri-series at Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on February 5, 2020. Both the United States and Oman attained the ODI status for the first time in their cricketing history during the World Cricket League Division 2 held last month in Namibia. Nepal acquired the same last year in ICC World Cup Qualifiers held in Zimbabwe.

The current condition of the TU ground was not deemed fit enough by the ICC officials who toured Nepal few months ago. However, the team manager of national cricket team was assured of all the necessary criteria to be fulfilled by the time of the series.

“We still have 8-9 months for the series. The TU cricket ground is already in a decent state to host international matches. It will be upgraded to meet other requirements,” said Raman Shiwakoti, Nepal’s team manager. “Proper dressing rooms and security were the main concerns for the ICC invigilators which will be addressed to help prepare the venue.”

Nepal along with Namibia, Oman, PNG, Scotland, the UAE and the United States will be playing 36 ODIs over two and half years from August 2019 to January 2022, where teams will be two steps away from the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to be held in India. The League 2 will see 126 ODIs played across 21 tri-series, with the first series kicking off in Scotland on 14 August 2019.

Each series will see the teams play a total of six ODIs, with teams competing for the top three spots of the League 2 table which will confirm their place in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2022.

William Glenwright, the ICC General Manager for Development, stated that the new format will help prepare Associate teams better at the time of World Cup Qualifiers in a uniform schedule that runs through four years.

“The new structure, which has been developed in close consultation with the Members, will present some outstanding cricket and, most importantly, will ensure that the Associate Members that qualify for the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier are even better prepared to stake their claim for a place at India 2023.”