Six ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 fixtures set for Kirtipur have been shelved, with organisers citing the escalating military conflict in West Asia. Oman and the UAE were due to join Nepal at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground from 10-20 March; those dates are now on ice.
“The rescheduled dates will be announced in the coming days following further consultations,” the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) wrote on X. No fresh timetable has been floated, though officials privately hope to squeeze the games into a quieter slot before the next monsoon.
Why the pause? Security advisers told CAN that travel across parts of the region had become complicated, especially for sides changing planes in hubs directly affected by the conflict. With visas, flights and insurance all suddenly uncertain, the boards agreed a short delay was better than a scramble.
The knock-on is awkward but not disastrous. League 2 – an eight-team, three-year slog for a place at the 2027 ODI World Cup – has plenty of wiggle room. Scotland, Oman and Namibia are still expected to play their scheduled block in Windhoek from 2 April. Tournament officials insist that window remains “low-risk”, according to one senior administrator.
USA, who have already crammed in 24 matches, sit top of the table. Nepal’s opponents joke that the Americans are “banking points like a squirrel stashes nuts”; the rest are hurrying to keep pace. The format is simple enough: finish in the top four of League 2 and you reach the global qualifier, where ten teams scrap for four World Cup berths. Slip below that line and your path narrows sharply.
Former Nepal skipper Gyanendra Malla believes the delay is “frustrating but sensible”. He told local radio the squad will “use the extra fortnight to fine-tune”. UAE coach Paul Franks struck a similar note, calling the decision “the only responsible option”.
For casual followers it boils down to this: the postponement nudges the calendar, not the ultimate goal. All three sides still control their destiny; they just have to wait a little longer to chase it.
