Binod Bhandari and Sagar Pun were two big absentees from the 21-member preliminary Nepali squad announced on Thursday for an all-important ICC World Cricket League Division 2 tournament.

Nepal—relegated from the ICC World Cricket League Championship after finishing seventh in the eight-team tournament—are participating in February’s Division 2 which will be held in Namibia. The six-team Division 2 will decide the fate of Nepali cricket for the next four-year cycle in international cricket as it sends the top two teams into the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers.

Most importantly, based on the final position in Division 2, the teams are likely to be rewarded with multiple tournaments for the next cycle of Associate cricket. Nepal had got the chance to compete in the WCLC after they finished fourth in the 2015 Division 2 tournament which was also held in Namibia. Nepal will play against the hosts, Canada, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Kenya.

Bhandari and Pun have long been out of firm but both players were still managing to sneak into the final squad for most of the tournaments. Both national team coach Jagat Tamatta and skipper Paras Khadka were heavily criticised for including the out-of-form duo who also didn’t have best outing in the recently concluded Everest Premier League Twenty20 cricket.

Tamatta said the two cricketers paid for not finding back their form. “Both Bhandari and Sagar have potentials and had performed in the past. But its been long they have not contributed to the team. There are some youngsters who have performed lately and we believe they can fit in that role,” said Tamatta.

Bhandari and Pun’s exit means new faces have come in making it sure the senior side will get new faces for Division 2. Seamers Kishor Mahato, Rashid Khan and Dipesh Shrestha made into the preliminary 21, while two of the best performers from EPL—Anil Sah and Rohit Kumar Paudel—also made the cut.

The preliminary squad has opened the opportunity for hard-hitting Siddhant Lohani, who didn’t have big score in the DPL but showed intent during the EPL with some good cameos. Right-hand opener Sunil Dhamala also finds the place and could see his return to national fold after last year’s ACC Emerging Teams Cup.

Paras Khadka has already been named the captain while Gyanendra Malla, Sharad Vesawkar, Lalit Singh Bhandari, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Dilip Nath, Karan KC, Sharad Vesawkar, Sompal Kami, Sushan Bhari Shrestha, Shakti Gauchan, Sandeep Lamichhane and Basanta Regmi are others called up for the-camp.

The Independent Selection Committee headed by ICC Representative Aminul Islam and comprising of Tamatta and Khadka will now directly announce the final 14 member squad following a closed-camp which will begin in due course.

Nepal are planning to set up their preparation camp in South Africa prior to Division 2. “We have sent our proposal to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and if we get the nod, we will leave for South Africa for a 10-day tour before the Division 2 begins. We will undergo training sessions and play few practice matches against the local teams there,” informed the coach.

Nepal are also likely to get batting consultant in India’s Monty Desai, a talent scout who has also previously looked after Nepali teams at different occasions. “He had looked after the senior team for 2015 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers and recently in ACC U-19 Asia Cup in Malaysia. He knows Nepali cricketers very and his presence will be very helpful.”