Nepal will face England, Italy, the West Indies and Bangladesh in Group C of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in February. It will be the Rhinos’ third appearance in the main event of cricket’s shortest format.

From registering two wins—against Hong Kong and Afghanistan—on debut in 2014 to suffering a one-run defeat to South Africa in the 2024 edition, Nepal’s T20 World Cup journey has drawn increasing attention ahead of 2026.

As anticipation builds around Nepal, attention has also turned to their preparation. The Rhinos are heading into the tournament without any scheduled warm-up matches, a situation that sets them apart from their Group C opponents and raises questions about readiness.

Before the second season of the Nepal Premier League kicked off in November last year, the Cricket Association of Nepal had stated that Nepal would host a Test nation before heading to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

“We had previously hoped to have Nepal face a Test nation before heading for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” said Paras Khadka, secretary at the CAN, while revealing the calendar for 2026. “But it could not be realised due to the lack of venue and time.”

Nonetheless, Khadka did not rule out the possibility of Nepal playing against a Test nation outside home.

“There is a plan for an away series with a Test nation. We will reveal it once it is confirmed,” Khadka said on January 3. But there has been no revelation as such so far with less than a month’s time remaining for Nepal’s first match of the World Cup—against England on February 8.

Nepal might also face a couple of Test nations in the official warmup matches of the World Cup. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to reveal the warmup fixtures.

Nepal’s preparations

The second season of the NPL concluded on December 13 with Lumbini Lions, which was led by Nepal’s skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel, lifting the trophy. A week later, on December 21, the CAN made public a list of 24 players for the closed camp targeting the World Cup.

Head coach Stuart Law has since then started training sessions. The closed camp consisted of 16 players who were part of the squad when Nepal defeated the West Indies 2-1 in the three-match T20I series in September last year.

On January 6, Law shortlisted his best 15 to travel to Mumbai next month. Law has included a rising star from the 2nd NPL to his squad: Sher Malla, who was a key player in the Lions' title-winning season.

The NPL is expected to have been a good preparation for Law’s side as well. Legends of the game like Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Faf du Plessis, Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham have hailed the NPL as a good platform for Nepal.

“Stuart Law is a great coach,” West Indies great Chanderpaul said in an interview with the Post last month. “If Nepal can work for a long time with him, whatever he is doing, and his plans, will definitely make a big difference.”

After over a week-long preparation in Kathmandu, Law is currently in Butwal, at the Extratech Oval Cricket Stadium, for training. With Kathmandu’s TU International Cricket Stadium and Mulpani Cricket Grounds occupied for the Global Qualifier of the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Extratech, which is equipped with floodlights, is the best alternative for the Nepali national team.

“Our preparations are going well,” informed Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee during the NSJF Pulsar Sports Award-2081 in Pokhara.

Nepal’s group opponents’ preparations

While the Rhinos will be busy training, Nepal’s opponents in the World Cup will be coming more prepared.

The West Indies, who will be the hungriest for a win over Nepal following a series defeat in Sharjah in September 2024, are touring to the UAE for a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on January 19, 21 and 22, and then to South Africa for another three-match T20I series against the Proteas on January 27, 29 and 31.

Similarly, Italy are also touring the UAE. Before a two-match T20I series against the hosts on January 29 and 31 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Italy will have a good exposure against a Test-playing nation.

Italy will be playing three T20Is against Ireland at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on January 23, 25 and 26.

Likewise, England will be getting acclimated to the South Asian conditions with three one-day and three T20 matches against the World Cup’s co-host Sri Lanka. England and Sri Lanka will play three ODIs on January 22, 24 and 27, while three T20Is on January 30, February 1 and 3.

Bangladesh are the only opponent in Nepal’s group who also do not have any matches confirmed before the World Cup. Further, Bangladesh are also currently demanding their matches be relocated to Sri Lanka following tensions with hosts India.

Bangladesh’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul on Wednesday stated that they would not play the World Cup in India. “The Bangladesh team played hard and fought to qualify for the T20 World Cup, and as a cricket-crazy nation, we certainly want to play in the World Cup,” Nazrul was quoted by The Daily Star. “We do not want to take part in the World Cup at the cost of the honour of the country, or at the cost of the security of the team, players, and the journalists of Bangladesh.”

Tensions between India and Bangladesh escalated after Kolkata Knight Riders removed Bangladesh’s pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad without any clear reason. After that, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banned the telecast of the India Premier League in the country citing Rahman’s removal as ‘illogical’.

Nepali cricket fans have anticipated that if the tensions remain between India and Bangladesh, and if Bangladesh rules out of the World Cup, the Rhinos’ chances to progress further would increase. However, the ICC is yet to address the issue.