Arjun Kumal and Jora return as Nepal bat first against UAE in Premier Cup final

KATHMANDU: Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane won the toss and elected to bat against the United Arab Emirates in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2026 final at Bayuemas Cricket Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Lamichhane said the conditions were suitable for batting first and putting runs on the board. He also pointed to Nepal's familiarity with the surface, having previously faced Hong Kong at the same venue during the group stage.

Nepal made two changes to the side that defeated Oman in the semi-final. Arjun Kumal replaced Dev Khanal, while Sundeep Jora came into the playing XI in place of spinner Sher Malla.

Kumal joined wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh at the top of the order, with Jora adding another batting option to Nepal’s middle order.

Nepal Playing XI:

Arjun Kumal, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Sandeep Lamichhane (c), Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Ishan Pandey, Basir Ahamad, Karan KC, Lalit Rajbanshi and Sundeep Jora.

The final carries major significance for both teams, with the winner lifting the Premier Cup and securing qualification for the 2027 Asia Cup.

Follow the Nepal vs UAE live score, scorecard and ball-by-ball updates on cricnepal.com.