As the final step in qualifying for the Asia Cup 2023, the Asian Cricket Council Premier Cup will pit ten of the region’s best emerging teams in 50-over action in Nepal.
The ten teams have been divided into two groups for the tournament, which begins on Tuesday. They will compete in Kathmandu for a place in the semi-finals, which will be followed by a final to determine the last remaining qualification spot for the Asia Cup 2023. The qualifying team will face India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup group stage, ensuring two high-profile matches later in the year.
The Premier Cup features three teams: Nepal, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, all of which will be fine-tuning for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which begins on June 18 in Zimbabwe.
Hosts Nepal will look to maintain the form that saw them race up the League 2 table earlier this year to take third place and an automatic spot in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
The United Arab Emirates, the team Nepal defeated in a last-gasp DLS victory to complete their fairy tale run, is on the other side of the draw, though Rohit Paudel’s team will face stiff competition from Oman in group play.
