Why Kushal Bhurtel is Not in Nepal Squad For ICC CWC League 2 in Oman? Full List

Nepal have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series in Oman, with Sandeep Lamichhane set to lead the side. However, there are a few notable omissions from the squad, with opening star all-rounder Kushal Bhurtel the biggest name missing.

Veteran pacer Sompal Kami has also been left out. Nepal will face hosts Oman and Canada in the series, which begins on October 7. Bhurtel's omission has raised questions, particularly given his importance to Nepal's white-ball setup and his previous contributions at the top of the order.

Why Kushal Bhurtel is Not In Nepal Squad?

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has not disclosed an official reason for Bhurtel's omission from ICC CWC League 2, and there is currently no indication that an injury is behind the decision. His absence therefore appears to be a selection call, although the exact reasoning from the selectors remains unknown.

Bhurtel's recent ODI numbers provide some context. In Nepal's four League 2 matches in the Netherlands in July, he scored just 2, 9, 34 and 0, giving him 45 runs across four innings. His overall ODI returns in the recent League 2 stretch have therefore been inconsistent.

There have, however, been strong performances in other formats. the right-handed opener smashed 129 off 43 balls against China and 126 off 54 against Malaysia during the Asian Games Men's T20I Qualifier in June. He also scored 65 against Hong Kong.

The contrasting ODI and T20 numbers suggest that recent 50-over form may have influenced the selection, but that remains an inference rather than a confirmed reason. Despite his up-and-down performances, he remains one of the richest cricketers in Nepal.

How Has Nepal in Cricket World Cup League 2 Performed?

Nepal enter the Oman tri-series with their 2027 ODI World Cup qualification hopes under pressure. The top four teams in League 2 progress to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, while Nepal currently sit seventh in the eight-team standings.

After 32 matches, Nepal have 11 wins, 19 defeats and two no-results, leaving them on 24 points. Their recent League 2 campaign has included disappointing results, particularly during the July tri-series in the Netherlands, where they lost to Namibia and the Netherlands before securing a win against Namibia.

The upcoming Oman series is therefore crucial. Nepal scheduled matches for Cricket World Cup League 2 are against Canada on October 11, Oman on October 13, Canada again on October 17 and Oman on October 19.

Nepal Squad For CWC League 2 In Oman

Sandeep Lamichhane (captain), Rohit Paudel, Aasif Sheikh, Arjun Kumal, Ishan Pandey, Dev Khanal, Sundeep Jora, Basir Ahmad, Dipendra Singh Airee, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulsan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Shahab Alam, Sher Malla