KATHMANDU — Nepal’s men’s cricket team is heading into the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 with a familiar ambition but a different opportunity: turn another quarter-final appearance into the country’s first Asian Games cricket medal. Led by Dipendra Singh Airee , Nepal will begin its campaign in Japan against Afghanistan on September 25 before facing hosts Japan the following day. The cricket competition will be played in the T20 format at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin City . The timing could hardly be more interesting for Nepal. The team arrives in Japan shortly after winning the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2026 , a triumph that secured qualification for the 2027 Asia Cup. Earlier this year, Nepal also won the Asian Games Men’s T20 Qualifier in Singapore. Afghanistan first, then hosts Japan Nepal have been placed in Group A alongside Afghanistan and Japan . Afghanistan face Japan in the opening Group A fixture on September 24. Nepal then meet Afghanistan on September 25 at 2:00 PM Japan time , followed by their match against Japan on September 26 at 9:00 AM Japan time . That corresponds to approximately 10:45 AM and 5:45 AM Nepal time , respectively. The top two teams from Group A will advance to the quarter-finals. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been seeded directly into the knockout stage. The group standings will also determine Nepal’s quarter-final opponent. Under the official draw, the Group A runner-up will face India , while the Group A winner will meet Sri Lanka . That makes every group-stage result important—not only for qualification, but also for Nepal’s route through the tournament. Dipendra handed the captaincy Nepal have selected a 15-member squad with Dipendra taking charge. Former captain Rohit Paudel remains one of the central figures in the batting unit, while experienced names such as Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane give the side a strong core. The squad also includes attacking options in Kushal Malla, Gulshan Jha, Sandeep Jora and Lokesh Bam , with Sher Malla, Lalit Rajbanshi and Nandan Yadav adding variety to the bowling attack. Nepal squad: Dipendra Singh Airee (captain), Rohit Paudel, Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Aarif Sheikh, Kushal Malla, Sandeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi and Sher Malla. Stuart Law remains head coach, with former Nepal international Binod Das travelling as team leader. Qualification campaign showed Nepal’s firepower Nepal did not receive an automatic place at the Games. They earned it through the Asian Games qualifier in Singapore earlier this year—and did so in emphatic fashion. Kushal Bhurtel was at the centre of that campaign. He smashed 129 from 43 balls against China as Nepal piled up 313 for two and won by 221 runs. Just days later, Bhurtel followed it with 126 from 54 balls against Malaysia , becoming one of the small