Sher Malla has been named in Nepal’s 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, marking his first-ever call-up to the senior national team.
The emerging talent earned his place after an impressive outing in the recently concluded Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2025, where he was named the tournament’s Breakthrough Player. Sher is now set to make his international debut on the biggest stage, the World Cup itself.
Alongside Sher, Basir Ahmad has also made a return to the national squad. Basir last featured for Nepal in the T20 series following the League 2 fixtures in June last year, but missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup Qualifiers. His strong performance in the NPL paved an avenue for his comeback.
However, Kushal Malla and Mohammad Aadil Alam, both of whom played in the Asia and East Asia Pacific World Cup Qualifiers, failed to secure a spot in the final World Cup squad.
Sher shines in the NPL
Representing Lumbini Lions in the second edition of the NPL, Sher played a key role in guiding the team to become the champion. Beyond the championship win, his overall performance drew widespread attention.
Spinner Sher troubled opposition batters consistently. His all-round contribution also stood out, batting effectively in the lower order while excelling with the ball. He finished the season as the joint-highest wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets in 10 matches.
Nepal captain Rohit Paudel had earlier expressed confidence in Sher’s bright future, a sentiment now reflected in his World Cup selection.
Having previously represented Nepal at the U-19 level and for Nepal ‘A’, Sher is now set to don the senior national jersey.
Return of Basir
Basir Ahmad, who played two NPL seasons for Biratnagar Kings, has prior experience with both Nepal ‘A’ and the senior national team, though he struggled to cement a regular spot.
Nevertheless, through consistent performances for Nepal ‘A’ and the domestic side Tribhuvan Army Club, Basir has established himself as a dependable middle-order batter. In the latest NPL season, he scored 191 runs in nine matches.
Known for his ability to rescue teams from difficult situations, Basir has delivered under pressure before. Against Karnali Yaks in the NPL, he played a match-winning innings in a challenging scenario.
Earlier, in the final of the four-nation T20 series in Hong Kong, Nepal slumped to 92-8 against Kuwait. Basir, alongside Nandan Yadav, took the match to the final over, though Nepal eventually fell short by three runs.
Aadil and Kushal miss out
Aadil Alam and Kushal Malla, both part of Nepal’s T20 World Cup Qualifier campaign, were excluded from the final squad.
Aadil struggled for form both in the qualifiers and the NPL. He scored 18 runs in two qualifier matches and managed just 93 runs in eight NPL games.
Kushal Malla also failed to find a rhythm.
