Nepal Cricket Association's Captaincy Change Proves Successful in ACC Premier Cup
Summary
Nepal’s captaincy change has paid off as Sandeep Lamichhane led the team to the ACC Premier Cup title and a second Asia Cup berth. Nepal beat the UAE by 44 runs in the final, with Lamichhane taking 17 wickets and winning the tournament’s Best Player award.
Key Points
- CAN replaced Rohit Kumar Paudel with Sandeep Lamichhane as captain after Nepal’s poor run in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.
- Under Lamichhane’s leadership, Nepal won five of six matches in the ACC Premier Cup 2083 (2026), then beat the UAE by 44 runs in the final to qualify for the Asia Cup.
- Lamichhane took 17 wickets, had an economy rate of 2.98, and was named the tournament’s Best Player for the second straight ODI-format ACC Premier Cup.
- Nepal still faces pressure in the final ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 series and must finish in the top six to retain ODI status.
