Kathmandu, 30 October

Nepal cricketer Dipendra Singh Airi is likely to miss all the Asian qualifiers of the T20 World Cup after suffering a bullet injury while practicing before the match against Singapore on Monday.

Airi was taken to Medcity Hospital for treatment immediately after his injuries. He has since returned to the Trivi Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, tied with bandages and on crutches.

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has not yet released a statement on the severity of Airi's injury or how long he is expected to be out of action. However, it is understood that he is unlikely to be fit in time for the T20 World Cup qualifiers, which are scheduled to begin on November 15.

Airi has been in excellent form in recent months, and his absence will be a major blow to the Nepal team. He is one of the team's most versatile players, performing well in all three departments batting, bowling, and fielding.

In the absence of Airi, Nepal is likely to turn to Vivek Yadav as his replacement in the playing XI. Yadav is a left-arm spinner who can also bat at the lower order.

Nepal is scheduled to play three matches in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, against Singapore, Kuwait, and Qatar. The top two teams from the group will qualify for the global qualifier, which is scheduled to be held in Australia in February next year.