Cricket featured on all categories when Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) announced nominees for the nation’s most prestigious sports awards – the NSJF LG Player of the Year Award.
Paras Khadka (nominated in three categories) and Nary Thapa (nominated in two categories).
Among 27 nominees announced in five categories, 10 were from cricket – four more than football, which has six nominations. Cricket and football is the dominating sports in Nepal.
Paras Khadka, the U-19 captain, has been nominated for three awards – the Player of the Year (Male), Youth Player of the Year and the Popular Player of the Year. Paras has been considered for the award for his leading performance as the U-19 captain. He helped Nepal win the ACC U-19 Elite Cup with man-of-the-series winning performance and guided Nepal to the plate final in the Youth World Cup.
He also helped Kathmandu win national U-19 and was man-of-the-series in Kathmandu’s maiden senior domestic championship victory.
Mehboob Alam, Amrit Bhattarai and Nira Rajopadyay (nominated in a category each).
Amrit Bhattarai will fight his captain among others for the Youth Player of the Year award.
Women’s captain Nary Thapa, who helped Nepal reach the final of the ACC Women’s Cup, is nominated for two awards – the Player of the Year Female and Popular Player of the Year. Nary was also declared the best bowler of the event and later received the ACC Award for Rising Female Player from Non-Test Playing Nations. The multi-talented teenager also won gold medals in U1-6 and U-19 singles of national badminton.
Nira Rajopadhyay is also nominated for the female category. Nira was a key bowler of cricket team taking 10 wickets in five matches in ACC Women’s Cup.
Roy Dias and Junga Bahadur Thapa (nominated for Coach of the Year award).
Coach Roy Dias has been nominated for third straight time. He won the awards two years ago but missed last year. Along with him, Junga Bahadur Thapa, the coach for the women’s team has also been nominated. Mehboob Alam, the fiery opening bowler, found a nomination in the Popular Player of the Year.
The Popular Player of the Year is decided on the SMS voting while all other awardees are chosen by a committee headed by NSJF secretary Mahesh Acharya. Members of the committee are Binod Pandey, Himesh Bajracharya, Prajeet Shakya and Ujjwal Acharya.
The award function will be held on September 10 at the Nepal Academy Hall in Kathmandu.
Photos by NepalSportsPhoto.com
| LG NSJF Popular Player of the Year Award will be awarded to the player receiving most number of votes from public polling. To vote for the cricketers, follow these steps: | |
| For Mehboob Alam | Type LGPOY MA and send to 4321 |
| For Paras Khadka | Type LGPOY PK and send to 4321 |
| For Nary Thapa | Type LGPOY NT and send to 4321 |
| Only for Nepal Telecom (costs Rs 2+tax) and Mero Mobile (costs Rs 3+tax) Subscribers. One lucky winner will receive a LG Mobile Set. | |