KATHMANDU: Nepal are all set to start their U-19 ICC Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh on Thursday.

Altogether 16 countries including Nepal are taking part in the tournament with teams divided into four groups. Nepal are in Group D along with India, Ireland and New Zealand.

Australia have pulled out of the tournament citing security reasons and Ireland were slotted in to fill the void.

Nepal had lost back to back warm matches before taking on Test playing nation New Zealand in their group opening match in this U-19 World Cup.

Nepal will play their first game against New Zealand tomorrow at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah. The game will commence at 9.00 am local time. Nepal aim at advancing to the next round.

Nepal are set to play Ireland at the same venue on January 30 before heading to Mirpur where they will meet the cricketing giant India at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on February 1.

This is the seventh time that Nepal are contesting the U-19 Cricket World Cup, which is held every two years.

Nepal Playing XI

Raju Rijal (c) Arif Sheik, Dipendra Aiyer, Sushil Kandel, Sunil Dhamala, Sandip Sunar, Saurav Khanal, Prem Tamang, Dipesh Shrestha, Rajbir Singh, Ishan Pandey, Yogendra Karki, Sandip Lamichhane, Himanshu Dutta and Shanker Rana

In Reserve

Irshad Ahmed, Nandan Yadav, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Kushal Bhurtel

Coach: Jagat Tamata

Assistant coach: Binod Das

Meanwhile, today's game hosts Bangladesh stunned the defending champions South Africa by 43 runs.