Hosts Zimbabwe won the toss and invited Nepal to bat first in the opening match of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023 being played at Harare Sports Club in the Zimbabwean Capital city on Sunday.

Nepal have included medium-pace bowlers in the playing XI and excluded left-arm orthodox bowler Lalit Rajbanshi from the match.

Aasif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane have been included in the playing XI captained by Rohit Paudel.

Joylord Gumbie, Craig Ervine (captain), Wessly Madhevere, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Clive Madande, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani are in the playing XI for Zimbabwe.

Nepal and Zimbabwe both have set their sights for spots in the ICC World Cup scheduled to take place from October 5 to November 19, in India. Only the top two sides in the 10-team tournament will earn spots for the World Cup.

The home side will be eager to mark their comeback in the mega event which they missed out on, in 2019. The southern African team featured in every World Cup from 1983 to 2015, before missing out on qualification in the last edition.

Zimbabwe’s best performance came in 1999 and 2003 when they reached the Super Six stage on both occasions. Unlike the hosts, Nepal have never qualified for a World Cup.