Prithu Baskota, the U19 captain, and Jagat Tamata, the coach of U19 national team, were among the winners of the prestigious NSJF Pulsar Sports Awards.
All winners of NSJF Pulsar Sports Award 2068.
Prithu won the Youth Player of the Year award while Tamata won the Coach of the Year award.
National captain Paras Khadka, who was one of five nominees for the Player of the Year award missed out.
Golfer Shiva Ram Shrestha won the award for his outstanding performance throughout the year.
Prithu, who had been nominated for the award in three occasions, finally grabbed the trophy for his leadership in qualifying Nepal to the ICC U19 World Cup. After four qualifications to U19 WC, Nepal has missed out the event in 2010.
U19 Cricket captain Prithu Baskota receives the Youth Player of the Year Award.
Under Prithu’s leadership, Nepal regained the spot finishing second at the ACC U19 Elite Cup and the ICC U19 World Cup Qualifiers. Prithu was also a member of senior team and was the one of the key players to ensure Nepal’s semifinal spot in ACC T20 Trophy becoming a last-over hero against Kuwait. He took three wickets in the last over for Nepal’s one-run victory.
Prithu’s win also meant that Rubina Chhetri, the U19 women’s captain, missed out. Rubina was also nominated alongside Prithu.
Tamata won the award for coaching the U19 team. Two other cricket coaches Pubudu Dasanayake and Navin Singh were also nominated.
Similarly, Shakti Gauchan also missed out the Popular Player of the Year award that was determined by popular votes. All other awardees were selected by a selection committee formed by organizing Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF), the umbrella organization of Nepali sports journalists.