Kathmandu, March 23

Nepal national cricket team will face Malaysia in the opening match of the ACC Premier Cup when the tournament gets underway in Kathmandu next month. 

Nepal were drawn alongside Oman, Qatar, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia in Group B of the tournament that will send the top team to the Asia Cup. The United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Singapore and Bahrain are in Group B. As per the new schedules released by the Asian Cricket Council on Thursday, the tournament will be held at TU Stadium and Mulpani grounds from April 18 to May 1.

Nepal - who recently earned berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers after finishing in top three of the ICC CWC League-II tournament - will open the campaign with a match against Malaysia on April 18 and will face Oman three days later. The home team will then play against Saudi Arabia at the Mulpani grounds on April 24 before taking on Qatar at the TU Stadium in the last match of the league round on April 27. Top two teams from both pools will advance to the semi-finals slated for April 29. The final is scheduled for May 1.

The winners of the tournament will qualify for the Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan in September and they will be placed in Group A along with India and Pakistan. Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are in Group B.

Likewise, top three teams of the ACC Premier Cup will earn berths in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup to be held in Nepal in July. The champions will be placed in Group A along with 'A' teams from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while two other teams will be up against 'A' teams from Bangladesh and Afghanistan.