Kathmandu: Nepal will take on Bahrain today in the ACC Premier Cup 2026, a tournament serving as the qualifier for the Asia Cup. The match will be played in Malaysia and will mark the first-ever meeting between Nepal and Bahrain in 50-over international cricket.
The match is scheduled to begin at 7:15 am Nepali time. Bahrain are considered a comparatively weaker side, and Nepal are expected to start their campaign with a victory. Nepal are also regarded as one of the leading contenders for the Premier Cup title.
Nepal are in Group A alongside hosts Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Bahrain. Group B consists of Oman, Singapore, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. The team that wins the tournament will secure a place in the Asia Cup.
Nepal previously won the ACC Premier Cup in 2023 on home soil without losing a match and qualified for the Asia Cup. However, Nepal missed out on a second Asia Cup appearance after losing the final of the previous edition to the UAE.
Nepal have made extensive preparations for this year's tournament. The team spent around 10 days training in Bengaluru, India, where it won both practice matches against the Karnataka side. Nepal then held a five-day training camp in Malaysia and completed a clean sweep against the Malaysian national team in a two-match ODI series.
Newly appointed captain Sandeep has said that winning the trophy and qualifying for the Asia Cup are the team's primary objectives. He expressed confidence that Nepal will make every effort to bring the Premier Cup trophy home.
The 2027 Asia Cup will be played in Bangladesh under the ODI format. Hosts Bangladesh, along with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, have already secured their places in the tournament.
Nepal squad under captain Sandeep: Asif Sheikh, Arjun Kumal, Rohit, Dev Khanal, Dipendra Singh Airee, Basir Ahmad, Ishan Pandey, Gulshan Jha, Hemant Dhami, Sandeep Jora and Sandeep.
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