KATHMANDU, March 28: As private sectors has been driving Nepali cricket for few years in lack of the cricketing government body in the country, one more major tournament is being organized by a private group in May. 

When T20 format of cricket tournaments has been made popular with initiatives from various groups, in Nepal, the Eastern Cricket Academy is set to organize the 50-over format Birat Cricket Cup Tournament from May 3. This plan has been taken as an important initiative when there are no 50-over tournaments in the country. 

Academy’s Secretary Subrat Paudel informed that a total of eight teams will take part in the tournament which will be played at the Eastern Regional Police Training Center in Biratnagar. Paudel said that the T20 cricket tournaments are being very popular in the country and organizing the 50-over format is very important now as Nepal has recently secured the ODI status. 

“We had been doing our homework to organize this tournament from a long time now and we have been getting suggestions to organize the T20 format tournaments,’’ Paudel said, “But, the requirement of the current situation is 50-over tournaments, so we have decided to organize the tournament regardless of how big the budget will be.’’

The teams will be divided into two groups in the tournament which will be played in league cum knockout format. The organizers further informed that the participating teams have not been fixed yet as they are preparing to make the franchise clubs. 

Paudel further added that the tournament, which will conclude on May 19, will also include the players from India and Pakistan if the preparations go through smoothly. 

After the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), the 50-over tournaments which used to be organized once or twice, have been completely stopped. And, the National Sports Council (NSC), who organized Prime Minister Cup ODI Cricket Tournament last year, has also not been organized after that. 

National team captain Paras Khadka said that it is now time to organize standard tournaments in Nepal as there are a lot of tournaments organized in recent times. 

“The 50-over tournament is being organized after years. Let’s hope that new talents will be identified from the tournament,’’ Khadka said. 

“There has been a lot of standard tournaments organized in Nepal in recent times and if other standard tournaments are to be organized, then the Nepali cricket can rise.’’

 
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