Nepal faces a must-win situation to claim the title and qualify as champions for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, as it takes on Samoa in its final Super Six match of the Asia–East Asia Pacific Qualifier being held in Muscat, Oman.
The crucial match will begin at 4:15 PM (Nepal time). A victory will see Nepal lift the title and advance to the World Cup as group winners, while a defeat would make Nepal runners-up, though it would still qualify for the World Cup.
Earlier today, Oman defeated Japan by 9 wickets, chasing a modest target of 104 runs in just 17 overs, tying with Nepal at 8 points each. Had Oman lost, Nepal would have secured the title before even playing Samoa.
Currently, Nepal has a net run rate (NRR) of 0.745, while Oman’s is 0.456. If Nepal wins, it will finish with 10 points and an unbeaten record. A close loss, however, could push it below Oman on NRR.
Nepal has won all of its matches in the tournament so far — defeating Kuwait and Japan in the group stage, and UAE, Qatar, and Oman in the Super Six round.
From the six teams in the Super Six — Nepal, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Japan, and Samoa — the top three qualify for the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February–March 2026.
Nepal, Oman, and UAE have already secured their World Cup spots, while Qatar, Japan, and Samoa have been eliminated. Currently, Nepal and Oman each have 8 points, UAE has 6, Qatar has 4, Japan has 2, and Samoa remains winless.
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