KATHMANDU: Nepal have been drawn in Group B of the second ACC Twenty20 Cup to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on November 22-30.

The short version of the game was originally scheduled for November 4-13 but the Asian cricket governing body (Asian Cricket Council) meeting on Friday has pushed back the dates to late November. Nepal is pitted against Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Nepal, Malaysia and Baharain. Group 'A' comprises of Afghanistan, hosts UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and China.

Top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. Nepal failed to make it to the semi-finals last year in Kuwait where they beat Oman and Malaysia and lost to Qatar and Afghanistan. Cricket Association of Nepal has already called 23 players for closed camp recently.

Nepal has taken the tournament as a preparation

for the upcoming Pepsi World Cricket League Division-V. Nepal is hosting the event February next year. Nepali team is also scheduled to tour Delhi to play warm up matches against the local teams before departing for the UAE.

Irrespective of the outcome in the ACC Twenty20 Cup, Nepali team is also

slated to play up to three friendly matches with the

local teams in the UAE.

After returning home from the UAE, Nepal will gear up for a tough challenge against the Academy team of Cricket Sri Lanka. The Academy team will tour Nepal in December as part of the exchange programme with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board.