Asia Cup 2025: Why Nepal Missed Out Despite Higher ICC Ranking?

Nepal will not feature in the Asia Cup 2025, despite boasting a higher ICC T20I ranking than two of the teams that have qualified. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) unveiled the tournament’s official schedule earlier this week, confirming the eight-team lineup—but Nepal’s absence has sparked discussion and disappointment among its growing fanbase.

The Asia Cup 2025, set to be played in the T20 format, will begin on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates and run across two venues—Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The 19-match tournament will include five automatic entrants: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The remaining three spots were determined through the 2024 ACC Premier Cup, the qualifying tournament for associate nations.

And this is where Nepal's hopes faltered.

Changed Format, Tougher Qualification

Unlike the 2023 edition where only the Premier Cup champion earned a place in the Asia Cup, the ACC modified its qualification structure for 2025—allowing the top three teams from the Premier Cup to qualify. This shift increased Nepal’s chances on paper, but they were unable to deliver when it mattered most.

The UAE, the eventual champions of the 2024 ACC Premier Cup, sealed their spot by defeating Oman in the final. Both UAE and Oman earned automatic qualification to the main event. That left Nepal to battle Hong Kong in a high-stakes third-place playoff for the final qualifying slot.

Despite entering the match with a higher ICC T20I ranking (Nepal is ranked 18th, compared to Hong Kong’s 24th), the Nepalese side failed to capitalize. Hong Kong held their nerve in a tight contest, winning by four wickets to snatch the last available berth for the 2025 Asia Cup.

Earlier in the tournament, Nepal had suffered a semi-final loss to the UAE by six wickets, while Hong Kong went down to Oman in the other semi-final. The losses set up a do-or-die clash between the two losing semi-finalists—one that ultimately ended Nepal’s Asia Cup journey.

Rankings Don't Tell the Whole Story

Nepal's exclusion has prompted debate, especially since they are ranked above both Oman (20th) and Hong Kong (24th) in ICC T20I standings. However, in a qualification system based on tournament performance rather than rankings, Nepal’s inability to win crucial knockout games sealed their fate.

The missed opportunity is especially painful for Nepal, who had made their Asia Cup debut in 2023 and were hoping to build on that momentum. The team has shown steady growth in recent years, both in performance and popularity, making their absence from a marquee event like the Asia Cup all the more striking.

Asia Cup 2025: Who Are In?

The eight confirmed teams for the 2025 edition are:

• India

• Pakistan

• Sri Lanka

• Bangladesh

• Afghanistan

• United Arab Emirates (Premier Cup champions)

• Oman (Premier Cup runners-up)

• Hong Kong (third-place playoff winners)

The tournament will feature 19 matches across Abu Dhabi and Dubai, starting September 9 and serving as a key preparation platform ahead of the next T20 World Cup.