KATHMANDU: A 15-member cricket team captained by Paras Khadka has been announced to play in the upcoming 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier.

The players selected in the team have been picked among from 19 players in the closed training, said team captain Khadka.

Gyanendra Malla will serve as the vice captain for the squad while other members are Basant Regmi, Anil Kumar Shah, Binod Bhandari, Dipendra Singh Airee, Karan KC, Lalit Bhandari, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Aarif Sheikh, Rohit Kumar Poudel, Sagar Pun, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami and Suwash Khakurel.

Pradeep Aire, Kishor Mahato, Sunil Dhamala and Sushan Bhari are in the bench. Meanwhile, middle-order batsman Sarad Vesawkar is on the treatment table for a fracture in right hand’s little finger.

The cricket tournament will be held in Malaysia from August 29 to September 6.

Host nation Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong, Singapore, Oman and Nepal will face-off in the qualifying tournament.

Two teams emerging top in the tournament will meet in the final, with the winner progressing to the Asia Cup to be hosted by the UAE in September.