Kathmandu, November 2

The four-member selection panel today announced the final squad for the Women’s World Twenty20 Asia Qualifier slated for November 20-27 in Thailand.

Rubina Chhetry Belbashi will lead the Nepali team in the six-team qualifiers that will send the winners in next year’s ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier to be held in the Netherlands.

The selection panel of ICC representative Aminul Islam, head coach of men’s national team Jagat Tamatta, women’s team coach Samson Jung Thapa and skipper Belbashi picked up the final 14 from among the 22 players who were under closed camp training.

Sita Rana Magar is the vice-captain of the team that includes Jyoti Pandey, Sarita Magar, Nery Thapa, Roma Thapa, Indu Barma, Karuna Bhandari, Sonu Khadka, Laxmi Chaudhary, Ritu Kanoujiya, Sabnam Rai, Kajal Shrestha and Sangita Rai. Likewise, Kabita Kunwar, Nitu Bhandari and Rekha Rawal have been kept in the list of reserve players.

Former skipper Ritu Kanoujiya and bowler Sonu Khadka made comeback in the team, while batters Roma Thapa and Laxmi Chaudhary made it to the national team for the first time. Kanoujiya has not played since the 2010 Asian Games held in China, while Khadka featured in the team that participated in the 2014 Asiad in South Korea.

A total of 44 players were called up for the camp based on their performance in various tournaments over the last one year and the selection panel had trimmed the squad to 22 after assessing them in the selection matches held at the Tribhuvan University Stadium from October 24-26. Out of the 22 selected in the second round, Shobha Ale, Alish Chhetri, Binu Budhamagar and Sarswoti Chaudhary failed to make the cut in the national team.

A total of six teams — Nepal, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates — will take part in the round-robin qualifiers in Bangkok. Nepal will open the campaign with a match against Thailand on November 20 before facing Hong Kong the following day. They will then play against the UAE on November 23 and face Malaysia the other day.

Nepal will end the league campaign with a match against China on November 26. Top two teams after the league round will contest in the final with the winners earning berth in the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier to be held in the Netherlands.