The APF Club of the Armed Police Force unveiled their newly formed women’s cricket team and a club sponsor that’s likely to change the sponsorship scenario of Nepali cricket.
The country’s first private mobile company Ncell signed a sponsorship deal worth Rs 1.4 million per year which will mainly go to the cricket teams.
The APF women’s cricket team consists of former national captains Neera Rajopadyay, who will captain the APF Club, and Ritu Kanaujiya, vice-captain Rubina Chhetri, Sita Rana, Binu Buda Magar, Manisha Rawal, Mamta Thapa, Rekha Rawal, Sonu Khadka, Geeta Chudal Sarita Magar, Karuna Bhandari, Rashmi Sharma, Jyoti Pandey and Khina Thapa. Only eight among them were present on the occasion.
A few months ago, APF Club unveiled its men’s cricket team consisting national players. The team has already won two domestic tournaments they had participated in.
APF Club is all set to field its teams in the regional national leagues.
Ncell Chief Corporate Officer Mansur Khamidov and AIG Shailendra Kumar Shrestha signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the sponsorship.
According to MoU, APF Club teams will now sport their own jerseys with the logo of Ncell. This will also open up way for other regional teams to find their sponsors which was not in practice as the teams used to wear the jerseys with event sponsor’s logo in earlier national leagues.
National captain Paras Khadka, who also leads the APF Club men’s team, was awarded Rs. 10,000 cash as the best cricket player of the club along with other sportsperson of various sports.
“Through all these signings, we are trying to set an example so that others will also follow in our footsteps and ultimately Nepali sports will benefit,” IGP Sanat Kumar Basnet said on the occasion.