Nepal Premier League NPL

PRESS RELEASE:

KATHMANDU, Feb 24

Zohra Sports Management (ZSM) in technical support of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and sponsorship of Ncell is proud to announce today introduction of the new cricketing event -Ncell Nepal Premier League.

Ncell Nepal Premier League is going to be a historical cricket tournament played domestically with an international touch. ZSM and CAN have done an exclusive agreement to introduce Ncell NPL for Three years to start with. Event of this type was long due in Nepal, but we are introducing it in the best timing as Nepal has recently qualified for the first ever ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

Ncell Nepal Premier League has been designed considering the needs of Nepali Cricket and will contribute to the development of the sport by
• Enhancing the base of Nepali Cricket domestically.
• Enabling Nepali Cricketers to gain much needed technical know by playing with international/overseas players
• Decentralizing Cricketing activities in various parts of Nepal
• Helping the National team for various formats to play at the International level, and
• Facilitating Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to come up with NEPAL ‘A’ team and increase the bench strength of the national team.

Ncell Nepal Premier League will be organized in April-May, 2013.It will include tournaments of T20, 50 overs and two-day formats. All the formats will be played in Round Robin League from the Groups.

Ncell Nepal Premier League will kick off with Two-Day Tournament in the first half of April (date to be set depending on Nepal’s World Cup campaign) in Dhangadi.Two-Day Tournament will be followed by 50 Overs Tournament in April end in Biratnagar and Rajbiraj. Then T20Tournament will be held in Kathmandu in May end.

Ncell NPL has SIX teams contesting for the prestigious titles. Each team has a 16-member squad including current national cricketers, U-19 cricketers, regional cricketers and two overseas cricketers along with domestic coaches. The team owner can bring any overseas cricketers to play for his/her respective team. There is no restriction on this except for the players banned by International Cricket Council (ICC).

Team's structure and selection is done by the National Coach Mr. Pubudu Dassanayake under National Cricket Academy (NCA). We make sure that all SIX teams get balance and competitive squad to play Ncell NPL.

Ownership Validity of a team remains for TWO years.

Teams for Ncell NPL are
1. Tej : Panchakanya Group - Captain SharadVeshwakar
2. Colors X Factors :Teletalk Pvt Ltd - captain Gyanendra Malla
3. Vishal Group Warriors: Vishal Group - Captain Parash Khadka
4. Kantipur Gurkhas : Kantipur Publications - Captain Basanta Regmi
5. Jagdamba Giants : Shanker Group - Captain Shakti Gauchan
6. Sagarmatha Legends : Ghorahi Cement - Captain Binod Bhandari

Match fees for players under Ncell NPL has been set at Rs 5000 per match to the Captain of each team, Rs 2500 to the Star Cricketers (players who have/had been in the national team) and Rs 1000 to U-19/Regional Cricketers. This amount shall be treated as match fees for each match irrespective of any format played in different venues in Nepal. Apart from match fees, players shall also earn from individual or group endorsement fees if their owning companies want to.

Prize Money under Ncell NPL include
• T20 Tournament: Winner Rs 200,000. Runner up Rs 100,000
• 50 Overs Tournament: Winner Rs 200,000. Runner up Rs 100,000
• Two-Day Format: Winner Rs 150,000, Runner up Rs 75,000

Ncell NPL is exclusively sponsored by Ncell Pvt Ltd throughout the validity of the concept.

Quotes:
Ncell comments ………………………………….

CAN President Mr. Tanka Aanghbuansaid, “I am overwhelmed by this innovative and much awaited concept being introduced by Zohra Sports Management. We had a major challenge to re-structure our domestic cricket and Ncell NPL has happened to solve our worries to a great extent. On Behalf of CAN, I would like to thank Ncell and all stakeholders for promoting this event. CAN will do all possible for the smooth functioning of the event.”

ZSM MD Mr.Aamir Akhtar said, “Nepal Cricket team is on rise and is in need of more cricket to be played inside Nepal to rise further. Ncell NPL offers various purposes in player’s growth, earning decent match fees, decentralizing cricket and many more. I would like to thank Ncell and all the owners of the team in materializing this concept.”

National Coach Mr.Pubudu Dassanayake said, “Nepal cricket is on crossroads as we missed the ODI status recently. I strongly feel that timely needed push for domestic cricket can play a pivotal role. Ncell NPL has come at the right time. One of my deepest desires was to see domestic cricket having longer version so that every local cricketer would be able to exhibit their skills.Ncell NPL provides such platform too. I am looking forward to this tournament and wish it to be successful”.