Kathmandu, November 7

Nepal national cricket team will face Pakistan in a warm-up match at the Abu Dhabi Stadium in the UAE on Sunday, in their first-ever game against the Test-playing nation.

Nepal head coach Pubudu Dassanayake said he would field full team for the match and hoped Pakistan will also come up with full team. “We are going with the full strength and Pakistan might also come with full team as this is the only practice match for them ahead of the England series,” the Sri Lanka-born Canadian coach said.

Asked about the expectations from the match, Dassanayake said he wanted the players to build their confidence levels. “I want them to feel that they belong to this level,” he added. After sitting out of the two-day match against Hong Kong, skipper Paras Khadka will return back to lead the team against Pakistan.

Other members in Nepal squad are vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, Subash Khakurel, Basant Regmi, Shakti Gauchan, Sagar Pun, Anil Kumar Mandal, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Mahesh Kumar Chhetri, Mahaboob Alam, Sharad Vesawkar, Prithu Baskota, Irshad Ahamad, Naresh Budhayer and Bikram Sob.

Nepal are in the UAE in a two-week tour for the ICC World Cricket League Championship matches against Papua New Guinea slated for November 16 and 18. Their two-day match against Hong Kong ended in a draw on Friday. After the Pakistan match, Nepal will face local team Dundee Cricket Club on November 10, before facing Oman on November 14.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board on Saturday announced the 16-member squad for the England series that included Azhar Ali (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Amir Yamin, Yasir Shah, Zafar Gohar, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Rahat Ali, and Bilal Asif. Pakistan, who won the three-match Test series against England 2-0, will begin the ODI series from November 11.