The Asia Cup 2025 kicks off on September 9, featuring eight teams for the very first time.
Asia Cup : However, despite playing in the 2023 edition when the tournament was held in ODI format, Nepal did not qualify this time. Back then, only six teams took part, and Nepal managed to feature. So why did they miss out now, even with the expanded lineup of eight? Here’s the reason:
Direct qualification:
Five teams — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka — gained automatic entry as permanent members of the Asian Cricket Council. While Afghanistan wasn’t a regular earlier, their consistent performances over the last decade have now secured them direct entry.
Qualification route for remaining spots:
The last three slots were decided through the ACC Premier Cup 2024, which had 10 participating teams split into two groups of five. Nepal dominated Group A, winning all four matches against Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.
But in the knockout stage, Nepal lost to UAE by six wickets in the first semi-final. In the other semi-final, Oman beat Hong Kong to qualify. That left Nepal facing Hong Kong in a do-or-die playoff for the final spot. Unfortunately, Hong Kong chased down 140 in a close game, eliminating Nepal.
Thus, despite topping their group, Nepal fell short in the crucial matches and couldn’t secure a single knockout win. As a result, they missed out on the Asia Cup 2025.