Nepal U-19 national cricket team on Wednesday flew to the United Arab Emirates with a dream of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2016.

Nepal will compete against hosts UAE, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia and Singapore in the Asia Regional Qualifier vying for a spot at the ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in Sri Lanka.

Sixteen teams will be competing in the 50-over global tournament. Eleven teams—Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe—have already qualified for the 2024 World Cup as the best-placed full member nations from the previous edition of the World Cup in 2022.

The remaining five spots will be fulfilled through the regional qualifier—Asia, East-Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe and Americas—with one team from each region securing a place at the Sri Lanka finals.

The Asia Regional Qualifier—the first event of the World Cup qualifiers—is scheduled to take place from February 24 to March 2 at Eden Garden and Malek Ovals.

Nepal open their Qualifier taking on Singapore on February 24. They next face Kuwait on February 25, Hong Kong on February 27 and Malaysia on February 28, before wrapping up their campaign against hosts UAE.

UAE are the current winners of the Plate championship of the 2022 World Cup in West Indies. Nepal, Kuwait and Malaysia qualified for Asia Regional Qualifier (Division 1) directly based on their previous performances in the qualifiers. Singapore and Hong Kong qualified as the winners and runners-up of Division 2 held in Oman last year.

The Division 2 Qualifiers also took place in East-Asia Pacific and Europe regions.

“It is our goal to reach the World Cup,” said head coach Jagat Tamata, who was also in charge of a U-19 team that reached the Super League for the first time in 2016 World Cup in Bangladesh, in Cricket Association of Nepal’s Youtube channel.

It was also the first occasion that two non-Test playing nations—Nepal and Namibia—had progressed into the quarter-finals of the U-19 World Cup.

“All five matches will be important….like a final,” Tamata added.

“Our boys played about half-a-dozen practice matches with the senior side during the two-month long closed camp. It has helped them build up confidence.”

Dev Khanal will lead the U-19 national side in the UAE. Gulsan Jha will not be available in the squad. Jha will travel to UAE with the senior team to play the UAE Tri Series—which will also involve Papua New Guinea—of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 on Saturday.

The UAE Tri Series begins on Monday next week.

“The association (CAN) has given me a huge opportunity. It is a very important tournament for me as well as my team,” said Khanal, who was named U-19 captain on Tuesday.

“We have prepared well for the Qualifiers. The atmosphere in the team is very good. We are looking to win the Qualifiers.”

Nepal have appeared at the U-19 World Cup seven times before. They played their first World Cup in 2000.