KATHMANDU: The Nepal national cricket team has been announced for the ACC Emerging Teams Cup scheduled for March 25 to April 4 in Bangladesh. After regular captain Paras Khadka withdrew from the tournament citing he needed further rest, vice-captain Gyanendra Malla will lead the 15-member squad. National team regulars -- spinners Shakti Gauchan and Basanta Regmi -- and opening bowler Sompal Kami have been given rest. According to Raman Shiwakoti, technical analyst of the national cricket team, the team members are:

1. Gyanendra Malla (Captain)
2.  Sharad Vesawkar (Vice-Captain)
3.  Binod Bhandari
4. Sagar Pun
5. Md. Arif Sheikh
6. Mahaboob Alam
7. Dipendra Sing Airee
8. Sandeep Lamichhane
9. Mahamad Asif Sheikh
10. Avinash Karna
11. Sunil Dhamala
12. Bhuwan Karki
13. Sushan Bhari
14. Dipesh Shrestha
15. Dilip Nath

Likewise, four reserve players have also been named:

1. Kushal Bhurtel
2. Jitendra Kumar Mukhiya
3. Rajesh Pulami Magar
4. Sushil Kandel

Shiwakoti informed that the team would begin camping on March 19. A three-member selection team comprising ICC-Asia Cricket Development Officer Venkatapathy Raju, Nepal head coach Jagat Tamatta and skipper Khadka had made the selection. National teams of Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Afghanistan and the U-23 teams from the four Test-playing nations of the region — India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh — are taking part in the event.