DRS, ICC sanction, international stars and upgraded stadium facilities mark the tournament’s return to Kirtipur on October 26.

Eight teams will compete for four places in the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, with Nepal, the UAE, Namibia and Canada among the participants.

The 16-team tournament will run for 17 days, with Kathmandu hosting Nepal’s group-stage matches against Ireland, India and West Indies.

While overseas athletes swept individual honours throughout the tournament, players and coaches view the skill gap not as a setback, but as a long-overdue bridge to professionalising the national game.

Horaa finished fourth in a fiercely contested Group B to earn a direct place in the 16-team grand finals, where it will chase Nepal’s first world title in the game.