Oman U19 cricketers head to Nepal for high-stakes ICC CWC Asia Qualifier
Oman begin their campaign against Afghanistan in the tournament opener on April 13 at the Mulpani International Cricket Ground.
Hosts Nepal, UAE, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Oman will compete across both the Upper and Lower Mulpani grounds, with all matches starting at 9:30am local time.
The squad, led by Rahil Habibulla, features six new faces - Rishab Gupta, Ojjus Pachisia, Ayush Karthyic, Kavish Shah, Vignesh Karthikeyan, and Aryan Joshi - as the team looks to strike a balance with talent and experience.
While Oman earned their place in the Asia Qualifier by winning Division 2 last year, head coach Damith Warusavithana is realistic about the challenge ahead. Ahead of the departure, he said: 'We go in as underdogs, as Afghanistan and Nepal are the front-runners. But we are looking to compete and make sure to give our 100 percent and stand up to the best of our abilities.'
The head coach said the squad has undergone a thorough build-up phase, including over a dozen competitive matches and scenario-based training sessions designed to prepare players for high-pressure moments. 'The preparation in lead-up to the tournament was apt. We had a pool of 30 quality players, out of which the squad of 14 was selected,' he said.
'The training was more focused on scenarios which players were groomed to execute at different stages in matches.'
Warusavithana praised the team's commitment during a demanding period. 'The dedication from the group was commendable. The preparation was amid the February–March months with exams on, but the boys have balanced cricket and studies exceptionally and as thorough professionals.'
With the conditions in Nepal expected to be unfamiliar, Oman boys arrived early to acclimatise. 'We've concentrated on the physical, mental, and skill level of the players and are going a few days early to adapt well to the behaviour of the pitches,' Warusavithana added.
'Lastly, I thank the Oman Cricket Board and our support staff for their untiring efforts, which enabled us to prepare seamlessly for this important tournament.'
Earlier last week, Tanzania became the 12th team to confirm their place at the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026 in Zimbabwe and Namibia after winning the Africa Qualifier. Tanzania will now be among the 16 teams competing at the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026 in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Ten teams have automatically qualified for the event as the best-placed Full Member nations from the previous event in 2024. These are: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies. Full Member hosts of the 2026 edition Zimbabwe have also secured automatic qualification.
Tanzania have now taken one of five spots determined through regional qualification pathways, with one team from each region securing a place at the event.
Africa, Asia, Europe and East Asia-Pacific each have a two-step qualification process. Division 2 Qualifiers took place in 2024 to determine the teams that will be competing at the second and final stage, the Regional Qualifiers in 2025. The winning team from each Regional Qualifier in 2025 will qualify to compete at the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026. The qualification pathway in the Americas region will only include a Regional Qualifier, and similarly, only the winning nation will secure a World Cup berth.
Oman squad: Rahil Habibulla (captain), Prathiesh HR (vice-captain), Nitish Nadendla, Saumya Sampat, Jeet Shah, Varshieth Dinesh, Siddharth Shankar, Omindu Medagoda, Rishab Gupta, Ojjus Pachisia, Ayush Karthyic, Kavish Shah, Vignesh Karthikeyan, Aryan Joshi.
Oman's fixtures (all matches 9:30am local time): April 13 – vs Afghanistan, Upper Mulpani Ground; April 14 – vs Nepal, Upper Mulpani Ground; April 17 – vs UAE, Lower Mulpani Ground; April 18 – vs Hong Kong, Upper Mulpani Ground.
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