Nepal Begin World Cup Build-Up With First Warm-Up Match Against UAE

Nepal’s national cricket team has stepped into the final phase of its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup preparations with a warm-up match against the United Arab Emirates scheduled for today in Chennai.

The squad, currently training in India, traveled from Mumbai to Chennai specifically for the practice fixtures. Nepal will play two warm-up matches in total—first against UAE and later against Canada—both at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the same venue that will host World Cup matches.

The opening warm-up encounter against UAE is set to begin at 5:15 PM Nepal time. According to the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), playing on the World Cup ground is expected to help players adapt to pitch conditions and match-day environments ahead of the tournament.

Nepal will launch its World Cup campaign on February 8 with a group-stage match against England. Placed in Group C, Nepal will also face West Indies, Italy, and Scotland. All group matches for Nepal are scheduled to be played in Mumbai.

The team has previously featured in the T20 World Cup in 2014 and 2024, marking this tournament as another important chapter in Nepal’s growing presence in international cricket.