KATHMANDU, Feb 13: The national cricket team captain Paras Khadka has been announced as the Best Cricketer of 2017, at an annual award event organized by Nepal National and International Players Association (NNIPA).
Khadka, who has been captaining the national cricket team for the last nine years, helped the departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) win the gold medal in the seventh national games. Khadka’s team Chauraha also won the Dhangadhi Premier League (DPL). He is currently with the national team for ICC World Cricket League Division Two currently being held in Namibia.
Likewise, the national football team goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong won the best player award in football. He is currently in India with Minerva Punjab Football Club.
The NNIPA presented the award for the best players in 34 different games. Each winner was rewarded with Rs 10,000 along with trophies.
ICC picks Paras Khadka as best performer
The general secretary of Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) and the vice-president of National Sports Council (NSC) Tendi Sherpa said that they were preparing for the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) to be held in Kathmandu in 2019. He said that Nepal has a tradition of respecting all sports and players.
Phupu Lhamu Khatri was named the best player in Judo, while Shivam New Diamond Academy (NDA)’s women’s volleyball team player Pratibha Mali won the best player award in volleyball.
Mayanka Rana won the award in lawn tennis, while the gold medal winner in the 12th SAG Nima Gharti Magar claimed the award in wushu. Departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC)’s Ratnajit Tamang won in the badminton category, while Shirish Gurung clinched the award in swimming.
Syantu Shrestha won the award in table tennis, while Satish Pradhan won in basketball, Dinesh Shrestha in weight-lifting, Basanta Tharu in triathlon, and Arhant Kishor Singh in squash.
Asmita Rai bagged the best player award in shooting, Anil Gurung in sepak takraw, Sushil Thapa in boxing, Kanchi Maya Koju in athletics, and Prem Prasad Pun in archery. Likewise, Madan Kumar Kayastha won the best player award in chess, Maheshwor Maharjan in body building, Rajesh Magar in cycling, Sanjeev Lama in fencing, Sushmi Shrestha in karate’s full tank, and Shukra Bahadur Rai in golf.
Also, Pradeep Rajbanshi won the award in hockey, Raju Rai in gymnastics, Uma Rai in handball, Tulasa Rao Thala in taekwondo, Bijay Kumar Chand in kabaddi, Parshu Ram Bastola in karate, Dil Kumari Tamang in kho-kho, Deepak Magar in snooker and billboard, Rejina Karki in taekwondo and Saroj Yadav in wrestling.
Late Olympian Sunil Lal Joshi was posthumously conferred the Gajaraj Joshi Ideal Athlete Award on the same day.
Likewise, on the same occasion, Shyam Chitrakar was awarded with the NNIPA Journalism Award.
