Nepal are set to take on Sri Lanka Under-23 team in their opening match of the Twenty20 cricket tournament under the South Asian Games at Tribhuvan University grounds in Kirtipur on December 3.

Bangladesh U-23, Bhutan and the Maldives are other teams in the fray in the men’s tournament. The Test-playing sides will be fielding their U-23 teams and the non-Test teams could come up with the full-strength squad. The regional cricketing powerhouses and archrivals India and Pakistan have decided not to contest in cricket.

The teams finishing on top two positions after round-robin league will play in the final while the sides finishing third and fourth will contest in a play-off for a bronze medal. The final will be held on December 10.

In the men’s category, Nepal play against Bhutan on December 5, followed by a clash against the Maldives a day later and against Bangladesh U-23 in the last group match on December 7.

Meanwhile, the women’s tournament to be played in Pokhara features Nepal, Bangladesh, the Maldives and
Sri Lanka.

Matches in the women’s category will be played in Pokhara Stadium. Nepali ladies team begin their campaign in the Games against the Maldives on December 2 followed by a match against Bangladesh two days later.

In their third match, Nepal women’s team take on Sri Lanka on December 6. The third-place match is scheduled for December 7 while the top two teams in the league will play the gold medal match on December 8.