Nepal to Face NT Strike in Top End T20 Series Opener Today

Dragon Media Correspondent

Nepal A will begin its campaign in the Top End T20 Series in Australia today with an opening match against host side Northern Territory Strike, commonly known as NT Strike.

The match will be played at DXC Arena in Darwin and is scheduled to begin at 2:15 pm Nepal time.

The Cricket Association of Nepal has sent a 15-member Nepal A squad to Australia under the captaincy of Anil Kumar Sah.

The squad includes Kushal Bhurtel, Lokesh Bam, Trit Raj Das, Mayan Yadav, Pawan Sarraf, Deepak Dumre, Kushal Malla, Rashid Khan, Narayan Joshi, Aakash Chand, Shahab Alam, Bipin Khatri, Yuvraj Khatri and Rijan Dhakal.

Nepal will play a total of six matches in the league stage of the tournament.

After facing NT Strike in the opening match, Nepal will play its second match against the Bangladesh High Performance team on August 22.

Nepal is then scheduled to face Hobart Hurricanes Academy on August 24, ACT Comets on August 26, Kingsmen Academy on August 27 and Victoria CA XI on August 29.

This is Nepal’s second consecutive appearance in the Top End T20 Series. In the previous edition, Nepal’s senior national team played six league-stage matches, winning two and losing four.

This year, CAN has sent a Nepal A side combining experienced international players with emerging talent. The presence of players such as Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla and Lokesh Bam is expected to add experience and depth to the squad.

The tournament is expected to provide Nepali players with valuable exposure to Australian conditions and competitive teams, while also serving as preparation for future international assignments.

The Top End T20 Series will run in Darwin from August 21 to 30, with the leading teams from the league stage advancing to the knockout phase.