Historic under lights T20I  series: Nepal faces UAE in evening Clash

Kathmandu-Nepal is set to take on the United Arab Emirates national cricket team in the first match of a historic “Under Lights” T20I series today at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground. The match will begin at 5:00 PM, marking the first-ever international cricket game in Nepal to be played under floodlights.

This series comes with major changes in the Nepali squad. Several experienced and regular players, including the previous captain, have been left out of the T20I lineup. Dipendra Singh Airee has been appointed as the new captain, signaling a fresh direction for the team.

On the UAE side, the team continues to be led by Muhammad Waseem, with reports suggesting the inclusion of some new players who have recently qualified after relocating from India.

Historically, Nepal and the UAE have faced each other 11 times in T20 Internationals, with Nepal winning 6 matches and the UAE securing 5 victories. Only one match has been played in Kirtipur, which was won by the UAE. The two sides are meeting in Kirtipur again after two and a half years, with their last encounter here taking place in October 2023.

Notably, the Nepali cricket team is also returning to play on home soil after nearly two years, having last played a T20I series at home in March 2024.

Nepal T20I Squad:
Dipendra Singh Airee (Captain), Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Sundeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, Bashir Ahmad, Gulshan Jha, Lokesh Bam, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nandan Yadav, Santosh Yadav, Arjun Saud, Hemant Dhami, Shahab Alam, Sher Malla.