KATHMANDU, April 26: The first Nepali cricketer to sign for an Indian Premier League team Sandeep Lamichhane is one of the nominees of the People’s Choice category of Nepal Sports Journalist Forum (NSJF) Pulsar Sports Award 2018. He will be joined by four other sportspersons in the race by footballer Kiran Kumar Limbu, national volleyball team player Man Bahadur Shrestha, golfer Pratima Sherpa, and table tennis player Santoo Shrestha.
Among the nominees, the one getting most votes through Facebook likes and SMS along with the votes from the sports journalists and coaches of various sports will be awarded at the award ceremony on May 17, informed NSJF at a press meet organized in the capital on Tuesday. The winner will get a Pulsar motorcycle and Rs 50,000 cash prize.
According to the forum, the votes from Facebook and the SMS will be converted into 50% and the votes by the sports journalists and coaches will be counted 25% each. Four Facebook likes will count as one SMS, according to the forum.
This is the first time that the head coaches involved in the seventh National Games of 35 different sports and the sports journalists will have an opportunity to cast vote in the award ceremony.
President of the forum Mahesh Acharya said that audience can vote their favorite nominee until May 16 and the total votes in Facebook and SMS along with the votes from sports journalists and coaches will be included.
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Nominees:
Sandeep Lamichhane
Currently with Delhi Daredevils in the 10th season of the IPL, Sandeep Lamichhane has written his name in the history books of Nepali cricket, becoming the first player to play in the IPL.
He took a total of 86 wickets in 2017-18 and picked up 24 wickets in the ICC Asia U-19 World Cup Qualifiers. The right-handed leg-spin bowler also claimed 19 wickets in the ICC World Cricket League Division Two and became the best player of the tournament.
His best bowling figure was 20/5 in List A cricket against Kenya.
Also, Lamichhane pocketed 13 wickets in the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, five in the ICC World Cricket League, nine in the ICC U-19 Asia Cup and 16 in the ACC U-19 Eastern Region.
Kiran Kumar Limbu
Kiran Kumar Limbu was signed by Minerva Punjab in January. He became the champion with Punjab and helped them win their first I-League in 2018.
He played in seven out of eight matches for the national team in the 2019 AFC Asian Qualifiers.
He also played for the Maldives’ TC Sports Club and was an integral part of the team in the Maldivian league, FA Cup and the President’s Cup. TC Sports Club was the runner-up in the President’s Cup.
Limbu was also the first choice keeper in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers playing five games for the national team.
Man Bahadur Shrestha
Currently with the national team playing in the AVC Central Zone Senior Asian Men’s Championship, volleyball player Man Bahadur Shrestha displayed a wonderful performance in the 2-0 wins over Bangladesh and Hong Kong and a 1-0 win over Macau in the friendlies.
He was successful in helping Tribhuvan Army Club win five out of six trophies this year, and was named the best played in the 31st National Volleyball Tournament and the NVA Cup. He also played in the NVA League.
Pratima Sherpa
Pratima Sherpa is the number one female golfer of Nepal and was the first woman to play in the Surya Nepal Golf Tour.
She was the winner from Nepal in the Faldo Series and had advanced into the final in the Faldo Series Grand Asia.
Sherpa received an appreciation letter by famous American Tiger Woods.
Santoo Shrestha
Table tennis player Santoo Shrestha claimed gold in all the three categories—men’s singles, doubles and team event in the 39th National Table Tennis Tournament and also grabbed the first position in the men’s singles and team event of the Thamel Open Championship.
Shrestha also became second in the ninth Purnaman Memorial Open Table Tennis Tournament.
