KATHMANDU, Jan 17:Nepali Cricket Supporters Society (NCSS) has so far collected Rs 632,000 under a crowd-sourcing campaign initiated to collect funds and help the blind Nepali cricketers travel comfortably. 

The blind Nepali cricket team comprising 22 members on January 3 had travelled to Pakistan via train to participate in the Blind Cricket World Cup 2018, which is being organized jointly by Pakistan and United Arab Emirates from January 9 to 19. 

According to NCSS President Bhanu Sigdel, "Immediately after the media highlighted the news of the team having a hard time travelling, NCSS decided to launch the campaign so that the team would get the opportunity to travel by air. The campaign is our attempt to send a message that travelling for athletes, who bear the national flag at international platforms, must be treated with comfort and respect.”

The campaign has been termed ‘NCSS Swabhiman Ko Abhiyan: Jaada Rail Maa, Aundaa Plane Maa’ and already has 232 benefactors. It is being coordinated with Dubai Aviation Corporation (Fly Dubai).

Sigdel also informed that from the collected amount, as much as Rs 319,000 in addition to the 30 percent subsidy provided by Fly Dubai has been invested to book tickets for all 22 members of the team, and that they are scheduled to fly back on January 21 after the finals.

The campaign is being held with an active participation and support of Nepali cricket team skipper Paras Khadka and other stakeholders from the field. The campaign will run till Friday, and the remaining amount will be distributed among the team members amid a felicitation program to be held once the team arrives in Kathmandu, Sigdel informed.