Nepal and Canada lock horns today in the 138th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman — and there is far more than two points on the line. Nepal can officially seal a top-six finish with a victory, while Canada must win to keep their own qualification hopes alive in a tightening table.
The two sides have already met once in this tri-series leg, with Nepal winning the opener by 24 runs. Canada bounced back by beating hosts Oman by 58 runs, while Nepal followed up with a commanding 113-run win over Oman. Form and momentum both favour Nepal, but Canada showed in that Oman game that they can post and defend competitive totals.
High stakes in the League 2 race
Nepal currently sit sixth on the League 2 points table with 28 points from 34 matches, just one point ahead of seventh-placed Canada on 25 points. With the race for the top six reaching its decisive phase, today’s result could effectively settle which of these two sides finishes above the cut line.
Nepal have been the form team of this leg, posting totals of 235 and 263 when batting first in their last two outings. Canada, meanwhile, will draw confidence from their 256 against Oman, built on Samit Gohel’s 67 and Aaditya Varadharajan’s 55, before Zahid Shirzad and Sheel Patel shared six wickets to seal a 58-run win.
Canada vs Nepal — date, time and venue
The League 2 ODI between Canada and Nepal will be played on Saturday, 17 October 2026. The match starts at 11:00 AM IST at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1) in Oman.
Squads
Nepal: Sandeep Lamichhane (captain), Aasif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Paudel, Arjun Kumal, Ishan Pandey, Dev Khanal, Sundeep Jora, Gulshan Jha, Basir Ahmad, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Lalit Rajbanshi, Shahab Alam, Sher Malla.
Canada: Kaleem Sana, Saad Bin Zafar, Harsh Thaker, Matthew Spoors, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Akhil Kumar, Pargat Singh, Zahid Shirzad, Anoop Chima, Aaron Johnson, Yuvraj Samra, Ali Nadeem, Shivam Sharma, Sukhjinder Singh, Ansh Patel, Meet Patel, Ali Khan.
Probable playing XIs
Canada (probable): Yuvraj Samra, Aaron Johnson, Samit Gohel, Aaditya Varadharajan, Harsh Thaker, Hamza Tariq (c & wk), Akhil Kumar, Sheel Patel, Sukhjinder Singh, Zahid Shirzad, Ajayveer Hundal.
Nepal (probable): Arjun Kumal, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Ishan Pandey, Rohit Paudel, Basir Ahmad, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sundeep Jora, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane (c), Lalit Rajbanshi.
Head-to-head record
Nepal and Canada have played six One Day Internationals against each other. Nepal lead the head-to-head with 4 wins, while Canada have won 2 matches. Nepal also won the most recent meeting between the two sides — a 24-run victory in the opening game of this tri-series leg.
Pitch and weather report
The Al Amerat Cricket Ground generally offers a balanced surface for both batters and bowlers. It has been batting-friendly in this series, with Nepal posting 235 and 263 in their last two games here. Chasing teams have a slight edge, winning around 55% of matches. Spinners, particularly Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane and Lalit Rajbanshi, could be decisive in the middle overs.
Weather will be hot and sunny with temperatures around 35°C and no chance of rain — a typical October day in Oman that will test the players’ fitness over 100 overs.
Where to watch and live streaming
In India, ICC CWC League 2 matches are streamed live on FanCode. Viewers in other regions can follow live scores and streaming options through the ICC’s official platforms and their local broadcasters.
FAQs
When does the Canada vs Nepal League 2 match start?
The match starts at 11:00 AM IST on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.
What is at stake in this match?
A Nepal win would officially seal their place in the top six of the League 2 table, while Canada need a win to keep their top-six hopes alive.
What is the head-to-head record between Canada and Nepal in ODIs?
The two teams have played 6 ODIs: Nepal have won 4 and Canada have won 2, including Nepal’s 24-run win earlier in this tri-series.
Who are the key players to watch?
Harsh Thaker is Canada’s leading run-scorer in this League 2 edition, while Rohit Paudel tops Nepal’s run charts. Sandeep Lamichhane’s leg-spin will be crucial for Nepal, and Zahid Shirzad leads Canada’s bowling attack.
Where can I watch CAN vs NEP live in India?
The match is streamed live on FanCode in India.
Conclusion
Nepal start as favourites with form, head-to-head and table position all in their favour — but Canada’s 58-run win over Oman showed they are far from pushovers. If Canada’s top order fires again and their seamers strike early, this could go down to the wire. For Nepal, one more disciplined performance seals the top six and caps a superb tri-series leg in Oman.
Source: FanCode
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