New Delhi, Aug 17 : Nepal will host the ICC U19 Men's CWC Asia Qualifier 2025 in Kathmandu from April 12 to 21, 2025, confirmed Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). The winner of this Division 1 event will secure qualification for the ICC Men's U19 Cricket World Cup 2026.

CAN added on its 'X' account that apart from hosts' Nepal, Afghanistan, Oman, Hong Kong, Singapore and UAE will take part in the qualifying tournament for the Asian region. Oman and Hong Kong qualified for this event with the virtue of being finalists from the Division 2 tournament.

Nepal featured in the 2024 ICC Men's U19 Cricket World Cup held this year in South Africa, where they registered a thrilling one-wicket win against Afghanistan at Buffalo Park in East London to qualify for Super Six stage. The Men's U19 World Cup 2026 will be hosted in Zimbabwe and Namibia, where 16 teams will compete in the tournament, with five of them coming from the regional qualifiers.

Australia will go into the competition as defending champions, after defeating India by 79 runs in 2024 U19 Men's Cricket World Cup final in February and clinch the silverware at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

Apart from hosts' Zimbabwe and Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies have secured automatic qualifications for the event to be held in early 2026.

It will also be the sixteenth edition of the competition which started in 1988 and is now a biennial event in the cricketing calendar. India have won the Men's U19 World Cup on a record five occasions, while Australia have won four times. Pakistan has emerged victorious twice, while Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies have won once each.

/IANS