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Nepal Names Rohit Paudel-Led Squad for 2026 T20 World Cup

Cricket Nepal has announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with Rohit Paudel confirmed as captain. The squad is built around a core of spinners and all-rounders, aiming for a stronger showing than their 2024 campaign. Key players include vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee and experienced spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. The team features a balanced mix of aggressive openers, stable middle-order batters, and a seasoned pace attack.

Key Points: Nepal's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad Announced

  • Paudel continues as captain
  • Dipendra Singh Airee named vice-captain
  • Squad built around spin and all-rounders
  • Aims to improve on 2024 performance
2 min read

T20 World Cup 2026: Rohit Paudel to lead 15-man Nepal squad

Rohit Paudel to captain Nepal's 15-man squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, featuring a spin-heavy, all-rounder-focused lineup.

"Rohit Paudel will continue to lead the side in the upcoming edition. - Cricket Nepal"

Dubai, Jan 6

Cricket Nepal on Tuesday announced a well-rounded 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, as they look to make a strong impression on the global stage. Rohit Paudel will continue to lead the side in the upcoming edition.

The 23-year-old all-rounder Paudel has played a central role in Nepal's growth in cricket, providing his team with consistent support with the bat while also displaying calm leadership during tense times.

Paudel will be well-supported by Dipendra Singh Airee, who has been appointed as vice-captain. Dipendra Singh Airee is another player whose all-round ability will be instrumental in providing Nepal with the proper balance in the shortest form of cricket.

Nepal's squad is built around spin, depth in all-rounders, and an ability to increasingly withstand pressure in batting as they seek to improve upon their performance from their disappointing showing at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The spin attack continues to be led by Sandeep Lamichhane, who has a wealth of international experience around the world and has proven to be an excellent wicket-taker during the middle overs, and will combine with left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi, along with support from other spinners Dipendra Singh Airee and Basir Ahamad.

All-rounders remain the backbone of Nepal's line-up, with each of Dipendra, Gulshan Jha, Aarif Sheikh, and Sompal Kami providing valuable balance on both sides of the equation.

Kushal Bhurtel will be relied on to give the team an aggressive push at the start of innings to build momentum in the opening overs, while Aasif Sheikh will provide strength and stability behind the stumps, and Lokesh Bam will be crucial in stabilizing the middle order and giving the team support through Sundeep Jora and Nandan Yadav by providing depth to the batting line-up beyond the first six batters.

The pace unit continues to be led by Sompal Kami and Karan KC, who have a wealth of experience with the new ball and strong control in the death overs.

Nepal squad for T20 World Cup:

Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, Basir Ahamad, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulshan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla, Lokesh Bam

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
The squad looks balanced on paper, but I'm a bit concerned about the over-reliance on spin. In T20s, you need express pace on some wickets. Hope their pace unit of Sompal and Karan steps up. Still, rooting for them!
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Aman W
Sandeep Lamichhane is a world-class spinner, no doubt. His experience in leagues worldwide will be key. Nepal has the talent to cause an upset or two. The passion for cricket in the hills is incredible! 🏏
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Sarah B
Interesting read. It's good for global cricket when associate nations build strong teams. The depth in all-rounders is a smart strategy for the T20 format. Hope they get more bilateral series against top teams to prepare.
K
Karthik V
Bhai, 2026 is far away! But good planning by Cricket Nepal. They need to work on power-hitting in the middle order. The game has changed, 140-150 is not a safe total anymore. All the best to the team!
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Nisha Z
As a cricket lover from India, I always enjoy watching Nepal play. They play with so much heart. Rohit and Dipendra make a good captain-vice captain duo. Hope they get to play a match in India during the World Cup.

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