Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has announced a 15-member squad under the captaincy of Rohit Paudel for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Kushal Malla, Adil Ansari, Binod Bhandari, Bhim Sarki, Sahab Alam, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohara, Pratis GC and Rupesh Kumar Singh, who were part of the closed training camp, failed to make it to the final 15.
CAN has made two changes to the squad that played in the Asia & EAP Qualifier held in Oman in October. Sher Malla and Basir Ahamad have been brought in in place of Kushal Malla and Adil Ansari.
The squad, which includes Dipendra Singh Airee as vice-captain, comprises Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Sandeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulshan Jha, Aarif Sheikh, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla and Basir Ahamad.
Sher Malla and Basir Ahamad were selected ahead of Kushal Malla and Adil Ansari due to their impressive performances for Lumbini Lions and Biratnagar Kings, respectively, in the recently concluded Nepal Premier League (NPL).
Malla has been included in the national squad for the first time, while Basir has previously played a T20I for Nepal against Scotland.
This will be Sompal Kami’s third appearance in the T20 World Cup. He is the only Nepali player in the current squad who also featured in the 2014 T20 World Cup.
Nepal has been placed in Group C of the World Cup alongside England, West Indies, the Netherlands and Italy.
Nepal Squad:
Specialist Batters: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Jora
Allrounders: Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Aarif Sheikh, Basir Ahamad
Pacers: Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sompal Kami, Sher Malla
Spinners: Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi
