Bhuwan Karki retained captaincy as the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) announced a 22-member squad for the second round of selection for the ACC U-19 Asia Cup.
Karki who captained Region No. 9 Mahendranagar is one of five players from Mahendranagar who made the 22 men preliminary squad. Karki captained U19 side in ACC U19 Cup 2013 where Nepal finished fourth. He has also represented Nepal senior side and was part of the ACC Elite Cup winning team. Pacer Yagyaman Kumal, the Best batsman of the U19 National Tournament Sunil Dhamala, Lalit Singh Bhandari and Raju Rijal were selected from the 8 initial nominees of Mahendranagar.
Bibhasu Thapa, Som Pal Kami and Prakash Bista “B” from U-19 Champions Kathmandu were included in the final 22. Amit Shrestha and Ram Naresh Giri, who were also part of ACC U19 Elite Cup in Malaysia were picked from Birgunj alongside Arif Sheikh and Irsad Ahmed.
Avishek Jha from Janakpur who was declared the best bowler of National U19 Tournament did not make the cut nor did Kalicharan Yadav from Biratnagar. Hari Shankar Sah and Rahul Pratap Singh from Region No.7 Janakpur were retained from initial 33.
Aakash Bista and Amar Singh Routela from Region No.5 Nepalgunj; Dilip Nath, and Prem Tamang from Region No. 6 Baitadi; Somesh Yadav and Siddhant Lohani from Region No.1 Biratnagar; Susan Bhari from Region No. 8 Pokhara; and Sushil Kadel from Region No.8 Pokhara complete the 22 man list.
Nischal Pandey who was part of initial 33 players and also represented Nepal in ACC U19 Cup 2013 in Malaysia was not selected.
List of Players
Bhuwan Karki©, Yagyaman Kumal, Sunil Dhamala, Lalit Singh Bhandari, Raju Rijal, Bibhatsu Thapa, Som Pal kami, Prakash Bista”B”, Am,it Shrestha, Ram Naresh Giri, Arif Seikh, Irsad Ahmed, Hari Shankar Sah, Rahul Pratap Singh, Aakash Bista, Amar Singh Routela, Susan Bhari, Sushil Kadel, Dilip Nath and Prem Tamang, Dilip Nath and Prem Tamang.
Eight players further be axed from this 22 to give a 14 man squad that will take part in ACC U-19 Cup in UAE this December. Nepal is placed alongside India and Pakistan in Group A. The ACC U-19 Asia Cup begins in the United Arab Emirates from December 28 to January 4.
