ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier Super Six Match Schedule : Nepal VS UAE

Nepal is set to face UAE in their first match of the Super Six stage of the ICC T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia-Pacific Qualifier. Having played relatively weaker teams in the group stage, Nepal now meets its familiar rival UAE in a crucial encounter. The match will begin at 4:15 PM local time at Oman Cricket Academy Turf 1.

Both Nepal and UAE enter the Super Six unbeaten and have already secured 2 points each. Their clash is often dubbed the “Associate Derby” due to their intense rivalry and closely matched performances in past tournaments.

Competitive History

The two teams have met frequently in key tournaments, with little difference in overall strength. However, decisive matches have often seen one side stun the other. Today’s match is expected to be one of those pivotal encounters, with the winner gaining a strong foothold in the Super Six.

Recent Form

Both teams are in good form. Prior to this qualifier, Nepal played and won a historic series against the West Indies and conducted extensive training across various countries. UAE, on the other hand, won a T20 series against Bangladesh and participated in the Asia Cup, gaining valuable match exposure.

In their last five T20I matches:

Nepal: 4 wins, 1 loss
UAE: 3 wins, 2 losses

Head-to-Head

Nepal and UAE have faced each other 10 times in T20Is, with both teams winning 5 matches each — a testament to their fierce rivalry. However, UAE has dominated in Oman, winning all three matches played there. Nepal now has a chance to overturn that record.

Their last meeting was in the 2024 ACC Premier Cup in Oman, where UAE defeated Nepal by 6 wickets, ending Nepal’s Asia Cup hopes. In the 2022 T20 World Cup Qualifier, UAE beat Nepal to qualify, but in 2023, Nepal returned the favor by eliminating UAE.

In the T20I rankings:

UAE: 16th
Nepal: 18th

Players to Watch

Nepal:
- Kushal Bhurtel: In excellent batting form, especially crucial in the opening overs.
- Gulshan Jha: Known for impactful performances against UAE, including a rapid 20 runs off 6 balls in the opening match of this qualifier.
UAE:
- Muhammad Waseem (Captain): A key figure in UAE’s batting lineup.
- Junaid Siddique: UAE’s leading wicket-taker and main bowling weapon.

Pitch & Toss

The pitch has seen both low and high-scoring games. Japan successfully chased 178 against Kuwait, while Nepal defended 141 by bowling out Kuwait for 83. Oman also chased 93 slowly against Qatar. Captains may prefer batting first and defending a solid total.

Nepal is likely to retain its playing XI, though Kushal Malla may be replaced due to poor form.

Probable Playing XIs

Nepal:
Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel, Kushal Malla / Lokesh Bam, Sandeep Jora, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi

UAE:
Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Waseem, Mohammad Arfan, Rahul Chopra, Basil Hameed, Alishan Sharafu, Haider Ali, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Simarjeet Singh, Mohammad Rohid