The Cricket Association of Nepal on Saturday revealed the calendar for 2026 with hopes to host a couple of Test-playing countries for bilateral series.

Revealing the calendar, Paras Khadka, secretary at the Cricket Association of Nepal, said that the plan to host Test nations was one of the priorities of the governing body of Nepali cricket.

“We had previously hoped to have Nepal face a Test nation before heading for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. But it could not be realised due to the lack of venue and time,” Khadka said. “The window between the second season of the Nepal Premier League and the World Cup is being utilised for the Global Qualifier of the Women’s T20 World Cup.”

While Nepal did not host a Test nation at home last year, the CAN used the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE to play a three-match T20I series with the West Indies, which Nepal won 2-1.

Meanwhile, Khadka kept the hopes alive for Nepal still playing a Test nation before the T20 main event. “There is a plan for an away series with a Test nation,” he added. “We will reveal that once it is confirmed.”

International events

The year will begin with the biggest-ever ICC event hosted by Nepal: the Global Qualifier for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup. The tournament, which begins on January 18 at the TU International Cricket Stadium and Lower Mulpani Cricket Stadium, will see 10 teams competing for the four spots in the main event.

The event will be followed by Nepal’s participation at the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March.

The CAN has proposed a Women’s Premier Cup in February. There is a bilateral series for the men’s team in March, before Nepal hosts Oman and the UAE for the ICC CWC League 2 fixtures. A bilateral series for the women’s team will follow. Similarly, the bilateral series for men’s and women’s teams has also been proposed for April and June, respectively.

Nepal’s U19 women’s team will also tour Bhutan in March. The young girls will also play either a bilateral series or a tri-series in April, before travelling to Malaysia in June.

The CAN plans a home and away series for Nepal men’s ‘A’ squad in April and May. The senior men’s team will also be hosting the USA and Scotland for the CWC League 2 tri-series in May, which will be followed by either a quadrangular or a tri-series in T20 format.

“We plan to bring a Test nation for the T20 matches after the League 2 fixtures in May,” Khadka informed.

An international series has also been scheduled for the women’s team at home in May. And if the women’s team finishes as one of the top four teams in the upcoming Global Qualifier, they will be in the UK for the World Cup in June.

July will see the men’s team travelling to the Netherlands for the CWC League 2 tri-series, comprising Namibia. There are also the Women’s Asia Cup and the ACC men’s U16 East Zone Cup in the same month.

For August, there are four proposed events in the men’s category—ACC Premier Cup, bilateral series with Kuwait, Top End Series in Australia and ACC Men’s U19 Premier Cup.

“When it is the monsoon period in Nepal, we have prioritised away matches,” said Khadka.

Before September ends, the senior men’s team is expected to play a bilateral series away, alongside the women’s bilateral series with the UAE.

The Rhinos will also be travelling to Oman, with Canada, for another League 2 tri-series in October, a month that will also see a tri-series for the women’s team.

“We have also planned to organise the third season of the Nepal Premier League as soon as the men’s team returns from Oman,” said Khadka. Organising the ‘Festival of Himalayas’ in October-November will be weather-friendly as well, he added, citing the trouble of chilly weather in November-December as during the second season.

Before the year ends, CAN has planned a home/away international series for both men’s and women’s teams.

Nonetheless, as the lease agreement for the ground’s land at Tribhuvan University is nearing its end, Khadka also requested the government to grant the ownership of the Lower Mulpani Cricket Ground to the CAN.

“We will develop Lower Mulpani into a better facility as we also want an alternative to the TU International Cricket Stadium,” he said. There is speculation that TU does not want to extend the lease agreement because the continuous events at the TU Stadium have affected academics at the university.

Domestic events

“While the senior squad will be busy with international tournaments, the CAN aims to organise as many domestic tournaments for others,” said Khadka. “We cannot have all senior team players participate in the domestic events. But it will also provide the CAN with opportunities to see emerging players and increase the pool to select from.”

Khadka added the CAN has seen high chances of creating different teams, though including some common names, for different formats.

While there are district and provincial-level PM Cup tournaments from January 5-25 and January 25-February 10, respectively, the Jay Trophy will begin from February 12.

“We will also organise the National School Championship in district, province and central levels in February, March and May, respectively,” Khadka said.

The National Men’s PM Cup will be played from March 28 to April 22, while the district-level Women’s OM Cup will take place in March. Women’s PM Cup’s provincial and national tournaments have been slated for April and May, respectively.

After a district- and provincial-level Wai Wai Men’s U19 National Cricket Tournament in April, the central-level tournament will be played in May, the month that will also see the CAN Youth Cup.

The National T20 Championship from June 15 to 25 will follow a halt in the domestic tournament due to the monsoon period in the country. It will resume with the Girls’ U19 National Championship in September and will be followed by the Girls’ U16 National School Championship in October.

“New head coach Harshal Jayant Pathak will be visiting seven provinces during U19 tournaments to identify talents as we plan revamping women’s cricket,” said Binod Das, cricket manager at the CAN.

Similarly, in October, the CAN has also planned a long-format tournament at the Inter School/College level to help emerging talents get used to the format early.

The CAN has allocated December for other regional tournaments.