Giving shape to the idea forwarded by national team coach Pubudu Dassanayake some six months ago, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) formally opened National Cricket Academy (NCA) at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur on Tuesday.
According to Dassanayake, the national team coach would head NCA along with other coaches and staffers. NCA will provide continuous training facilities to the Nepali national squad, Nepal A, Nepali U-19 team and women’s national team.
CAN has appointed Jagat Tamata and Binod Das as coaches and Ram Shiwakoti as data and video analyst at NCA. CAN has set up its office and a gymnasium in the TU Ground storehouse.
According to Dassanayake, NCA will launch introductory programs for U-12 players soon. The introductory program includes weekly training for U-12 players.
“We’ll launch special training programs in future by appointing technical analyst, physiotherapist and fitness trainer as well as batting, bowling and fielding coaches,” said Dassanayake. “We’ll try to expand NCA to other parts of the country. We’ll try to establish other three branches of NCA outside the Kathmandu Valley by next year,” he added.
Dassanayake said he came up with the concept of NCA after experiencing effectiveness of such academies in Test-playing nations.
“Cricket boards of all Test nations have their own academies. They have been effective in all these countries,” explained Dassanayake. “Even a good Nepali player gets chance to play only one or two tournaments in a calendar year. If he fails once, he is lost. NCA could be the remedy as it provides regular training facilities, rehabilitation and psychological counseling to players,” he added.
Former national team captain Binod Das opined that the initiative could open the doors for the development of Nepali cricket and international success.
National team captain Paras Khadka termed NCA as an academy that would produce new cricketing talents. “Establishing NCA would spread positive message to all the young cricketers,” said Khadka.
Meanwhile, CAN President Tanka Aangbuhang requested all the cricket lovers not to have great expectations from NCA but that it would take great strides in the future.
CAN will take all financial responsibility of NCA at present but hopes to ink sponsorship deals to attract more financial support in future.
National Sports Council (NSC) Member Secretary Yuvaraj Lama inaugurated NCA amidst a function on Tuesday. Member Secretary Lama said NSC is ready to provide financial support to NCA. “We are ready to provide financial support from today. It would be easier for NSC if CAN sends us budget detail of NCA to us soon,” said Lama.