The Under-19 teams of test powerhouse India and rookie Nepal will play the first ever one day match in the Himalayan kingdom today. The two teams is playing for Kathmandu Klash Trophy. The matches will be played with white balls and colour clothes.
The Indian team arrived on Friday. There are two changes in the Indian team annouced earlier. Baroda decided to pull out its two key players – Irfan Pathan and Rakesh Solanki – for the Ranji Trophy final clash with Mumbai. Instead of Pathan and Solanki, seamer VRV Singh and Anoop Pai are included in the team.
The event is being jointly organised by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and Percept D’mark of India. The sponsor of the event is Shahara India and co-sponsors are Wai Wai and Rio of Chaudhary Group, Hero Honda, Indian Airlines and Hyatt Regency. The Kathmandu Post is the media partnet while Nepal Television will broadcast all the matches live.
Ambati Thirupati Rayudu of Hyderabad is leading the Indian team. Rayudu is already knocking for a place in senior team after his successful U-19 tour to England and India A tour to West Indies. The 17-year old Rayudu will be a player to watch during the tournament.
Indian international Nikhil Chopra is accopanying the team whose coach is Tapash Chatterji and manager is Maninder Singh Jaggi.