Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) signed a five-year sponsorship contract for women’s cricket with Wai Wai on Thursday.
As the sponsor, CG Foods, the producer of Wai Wai, provides CAN with Rs. 500,000 cash annually for regional and national level tournaments apart from trophies and dresses.
CAN president Binaya Raj Pandey and Nirvana Chaudhary, Executive Director of Chaudhary Group, signed the contract at the CAN office on Thursday. Wai Wai also sponsors the Under-19 cricket.
“I believe this sponsorship will help to women’s cricket,” Pandey said on the occasion. “We will now organize the national and regional level tournaments for women every year.”
“Women cricket has tasted international success in short time, and we need to develop it further,” Pandey added. Nepal was the runners-up in the First ACC Women’s Cup 2007 and will participate in the second edition of the event in 2008 in Malaysia.
“We feel honored to sponsor women’s team,” Chaudhary said. CG Foods in a release said the sponsorship came for seeking to herald a new chapter in Nepal’s cricket history after unbelievable success of U-19 men’s team.
Increment in Player Allowances
CAN President Pandey announced an increment in players’ daily allowances during the national level tournament during the sponsorship signing ceremony.
“From 2008, each player will be provided Rs 500 daily as allowance during national level events,” Pandey said. “This is a 100 per cent increment to the previous amount.” The allowance will be equal for all level.
CAN is also planning for a club level prize money tournament. “It has not been finalized yet, but we are planning for the club level tournament with prize money,” Pandey added. “For the event, we will allow clubs with some contribution in cricket development to participate.”
Two More Events Announced
Meanwhile, Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidhyalaya (BSAM) announced the First Chief of Army Staff Inter School Running Cricket Trophy 2064.
“We are holding the 16-school knock-out event from February 13,” BSAM principal Indu Mani Chemjong announced in a press conference. “The aim is to uplift the standard of cricket in school level.”
BSAM has an international level cricket ground at it premises, which will be used for the event. Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) will provide technical support for the prize-money event.
“We see this as a milestone of cricket development in Bhaktapur district,” CAN vice-president Upendra Prasad Bhattarai said on the occasion. Despite being adjacent to Kathmandu district, Bhaktapur has very little cricket.
Also on Thursday, Boy’s Circle announced The New Year Trophy 2008 – a Kathmandu valley-wide open club cricket tournament.
To be held from January 7 to 14 at the Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidhyalaya (BSAM) ground, the tournament features twelve teams divided into 4 groups with three teams in each group.
All the games will follow the league-cum knockout format and one team from each group will qualify for the semifinal. The league matches will of 20 overs while the semifinal and final will be of 25 and 30 overs respectively.
The winner and the runner will purse a cash prize of Rs 5000 and Rs 2500 respectively along with the trophy