Cricket Nepal (Archive)

Nepali team for ACC U-16 Elite Cup is to be taken care of by domestic coach. Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has decided to keep Manjur Alam Khan as in-charge of the team, for the tournament that will be played in Malaysia from May 4.

“Technical Committee had recommended Mahesh Rijal. But he could not make it due to family reasons. So, we’ve chosen Manjur Alam Khan as coach for U-16 team,” CAN General Secretary Ashok Pyakurel said. Nepal has appointed Pubudu Dassanayake as chief coach.

“According to contract, Dassanayake is to mainly look after National and U-19 team,” Pyakurel said. “He was to have a look at them during camp. But due to controversy over age, team selection was delayed. He will have a look at them for 2-4 days, when he’s back.” Dassanayake is in Canada right now.

CAN General Secretary said that it’s an opportunity for domestic coaches. Manjur is being aided by Samson Jung Thapa at the closed camp. He’s the first domestic coach to take charge of youth team, when a foreign coach is still in contract.

40-year-old Manjur was assistant to Nepal’s Sri Lankan Coach Roy Dias, when Nepal won Emerging Nations Cup in 2003, ACC U-15 Cup in 2005, ACC U-17 Cup in 2008. He was Assistant Coach of the team during ACC Twenty20 in 2009.

“This is both challenge and an opportunity for me. Everyone is a new face in U-16 team. Our team will be good. Nepal is No. 1 team in ACC age group championships. I will try to keep that identity,” said Manjur.

Nepal´s national cricket team captain Paras Khadka is all set to play for a Canadian cricket club. He received invitation from Ontario Cricket Club and Academy to play for it for four months. If everything goes well, he will leave Kathmandu before the second week of May.
Armed Police Force (APF), the team he plays for, and Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) have already given a clearance to Khadka to play in Canada.
Khadka and Shakti Gauchan came into limelight for helping Nepal finish 7th in the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers. Skipper Khadka had scored a total of 254 runs and taken seven wickets. Gauchan took 16 wickets to finish as the third top wicket taker in the championship. Gauchan was called for trials at the Indian Premier League (IPL) by Rajasthan Royals.
Ontario Club contracts players from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka every year. Republica´s Nabin Khatiwada talked to Khadka on Wednesday about the invitation from the Canadian Club. Excerpts:
How did this opportunity come your way?
It was all possible because of the initiation taken by our coach. It was all through him. After the completion of the ICC World T20 Qualifiers, the coach had asked me whether I would be interested to play in Canada. I said yes, and he contacted Ontario. He has also been trying to find other foreign clubs that would be interested to take in our players.

How much do you know about Canadian cricket?
Canada is an ODI nation. As far as I know, Canadian Cricket League is the biggest cricket league in all of North America. Clubs there hire cricketers from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It will be a very good exposure for me and I hope to learn many things from Canada.

What are the expectations from your side, and what will Ontario Club expect from you? 
Playing against different opponents and playing on different conditions will off course benefit cricketers. It would help to develop mental toughness. And, I´m excited.
Players from Hong Kong and Afghanistan play for different foreign teams and their national team is doing well. If I play in Canada, it will help not just me but also our team.
As for their expectation, I will try to perform well and impress them. I want the Canadians to appreciate the caliber of Nepali players. If I can do that, it will open the doors of opportunities for other Nepali players.

Have you been informed about the financial aspects of the contract?
The invitation from the club itself is an opportunity and I´m less concerned about financial benefits. For Nepali cricketers, exposure is the major concern. The club is bearing all charges related to accommodation and airfare. I am less concerned about other financial benefits.

Who else, among the current crop of players, could be called by a foreign club?
If we pick the best 20 Nepali cricketers, at least 15 to 16 players are capable of competing at the County level. All my teammates are talented and capable of playing from a foreign club but we lack opportunities.
In Nepal we don´t have cricket season in June and July. We play ACC Trophy in October and then the World Cricket League Division 4. Young members of the team will get exposure from the upcoming Asian U-19 Cup and ICC U-19 World Cup.
Meanwhile, if senior players of the Nepali team play for the foreign clubs, they will be better prepared to play against international teams. Coach is seeking opportunity for other players as well.

Don´t you think what the coach is doing should be done by Cricket Association of Nepal? 
You need contacts to take such initiatives. Our coach can do it better because he has contacts. Also, coach himself is a part of CAN. The CAN has been supporting both the coach and players in such initiatives. It bore Shakti dai (Gauchan)´s airfare during his visit to India. It has been helpful in preparing my documents for visa process.
Nonetheless, it would have been better if CAN had developed its own contacts for such opportunities.

Ed: The interview appeared in Republica National Daily on 19th April, 2012

National team captain Paras Khadka is to play club cricket in Canada. He has been called to play for Ontario Cricket Club and Academy for 4 months. He is preparing to leave for Canada in second week of May after completing visa related process.

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and Armed Police Force (APF) – from which he plays – have already given a clearance to Khadka to play in a foreign country. However, he is to come back to Nepal in the third week of September, to play ACC trophy for Nepal in UAE.

Paras told us that the club will have to release him to play for whenever Nepal plays international cricket.

Nepal’s Canadian coach Pubudu Dassanayake is responsible for getting Paras in the Canadian Club.

“This is a good opportunity for me. Coach is seeking opportunity for other players too,” Paras said, “Playing in foreign conditions is good. It builds toughness. If 4-5 players play in other countries, Nepal’s preparations ahead of ACC Trophy and Division 4 will be good.”

All expenses for Paras is to be borne by the Club. “I will get remuneration too, but the amount is not fixed yet,” Paras said. He will be applying for Canadian Visa within a few days, after collecting all documents.

“Coach had asked me whether I would play if I get opportunity. I said I was ready.” He said.

Paras and Shakti Gauchan came into limelight after they helped Nepal finish 7^th in the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers. Skipper Khadka had made 254 runs and taken 7 wickets. Gauchan took 16 wickets and finished as the third top wicket taker in the championship. Gauchan has already returned after trials at the Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Rajasthan Royals.

Ontario Club contracts players from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka every year to play. Along with Paras, Ontario has already contracted former India A player and Deccan Chargers (IPL team) player Jaskaran Singh, for this year.

Region No 2 Birgunj advanced into the final of the Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Toiurnament with cent percent results in the league round of Group B.

Birgunj defeated Region No 1 Biratnagar by seven wickets in the last league match of the group B played at TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur to register its third straight victory en route to the final.

Winning the toss, Biratnagar opted to bat first and scored 213 runs losing eight wickets. Siddhant Lohani’s unbeaten 52 runs off 52 balls with five boundaries and a six guided the team for the huge total.

However, Biratnagar did not start the innings well as it lost the opening pair for the total of 10 runs on board. Hari Chaulagai and Suman Shrestha shared a 30-run partnership to bring the team on track.

Chaulagai was back to the pavilion with 20 runs while Shrestha was bowled on 28 runs. Lohani and Amit Dahal (26) shared a 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket to guide the team for the big total.

Jatta Shankar Sharraf grabbed two wickets while Jitendra Mukhiya, Bibek Dali, Naresh Raj Giri, Aakib Ansari shared a wicket each.

Birgunj successfully chased the target of 214 runs losing three wickets in 45.4 overs. Man-of-the-match Bijay Ghalan scored unbeaten 72 runs off 145 balls with seven boundaries.

Opener Hasim Ansari and Ghalan shared a 97-run partnership for the first wicket in 20.1 overs. Ansari was bowled by Siddhant Lohani on 49 runs off 44 balls with eight boundaries. Suraj Kurmi scored 43 runs off 45 balls while Shiva Tandukar scored 25 runs.

In another match played at Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Region No 3 Kathmandu beat Region No 8 Pokhara by four wickets.

Winning the toss, Pokhara opted to bat first and scored 137 runs in 43.4 overs losing all wickets. Akash Thapa scored 41 runs off 40 balls with seven boundaries while Amrit Shrestha scored 40 runs off 88 balls with three boundaries to guide the team for the modest total.

Bijay Gautam and Prajesh Bahadur Singh took three wickets while Jagat Chhetri grabbed two wickets.

Kathmandu successfully chased the target of 138 runs in 25.1 overs losing six wickets. Man-of-the-match Pawan Shrestha scored unbeaten 54 runs off 56 balls with six boundaries to guide the team for victory. Opener Ujjwal Thapa scored 25 runs off 17 balls with four boundaries.

Sushil Kandel grabbed three wickets while Amrit Shrestha, Govinda pradhan and Anil Gurung shared a wicket each for Pokhara.

Rest of the matches of the tournament will be resumed only after April 22 and the final will be played on April 26.

Nepal Marwari Cricket League will kick off from Wednesday at TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Only four teams will be competing in the super league round after securing the berths in the final round.

The final four teams were selected from the qualifying rounds of the national league held in different districts around the country last month among the 24 teams.

The organizer, Nepal National Marwari Youth Association, organized a press conference inKathmanduon Tuesday and informed that the preparation for the tournament has been completed.

Arihant Group Biratnagar, RMC Yodha Birgunj, Bagmati Chargers Bhairahawa and Maruti Suzuki Kathmandu will compete for the title in the super league round.

The super league will be played in round robin format. Top two teams will qualify for the final. All the matches of the super league will be live telecast on Himalayan Television.

Controversy has erupted in the Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Tournament after an over aged player was not allowed to play while another continues to play in the tournament.

Skipper of Region No 3 Kathmandu, Sunam Gautam, was not allowed to play the match against Region No 1 Biratnagar citing age bar limit while another over-aged player Hasim Ansari of Region No 2 Birgunj played against Region No 8 Pokhara on Monday.

According to Kiran Rana, member of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), Gautam has already crossed the age to play in the tournament. “Gautam was not allowed to play in the tournament as his registration in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) during the U-17 in 2005 and U-19 in 2007 indicates he is an over age player.”

Gautam’s date of birth in ACC in 1988 that shows that his age is currently 24 years. “We stopped him from playing the tournament for now and we’ll take action against him from the board meeting of CAN,” said member Rana.

Meanwhile, Ansari was barred from playing the ACC U-19 Cup 2011 andBangladeshtour citing over age.

As per Ansari’s passport, his date of birth is 1990, according to which his age is 22. The CAN Member Rana said that they have not found any record over Ansari inCAN.

Ansari, however, has claimed that his date of birth in his first passport was registered erroneously, which has been amended in the new passport. “After the amendment, I gave application to CAN and I am ready to face any punishment if I’m found to be over aged,” said Ansari.

Region No 2 Birgunj thrashed Region No 8 Pokhara by 83 runs on Monday to edge closer to the final of the ongoing Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Tournament.

Birgunj leads Group B with two wins and requires another victory to ensure a place in the final of the tournament being held inKathmandu.

In the match played at the TU Ground, Kirtipur on Monday, Birgunj won the toss and opted to bat first. Birgunj was bowled out for 133 runs in 23.1 overs. Opener Hasim Ansari and Bijay Ghalan shared a 60-run partnership for the first wicket.

Ghalan (7) was the first Birgunj batsman to be dismissed. Aggressive batsman Ansari returned to the pavilion after scoring 48 runs off 29 balls with eight boundaries. After the fall of Ansari, Birgunj continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.

Shiva Tandukar scored 28 runs off 20 balls with six boundaries. Bibek Dali and Aakib Ansari shared a 30-run partnership for the seventh wicket and guided the team to a modest total. Dali scored 14 runs while Ansari was not out on 13 runs.

Sunil Kandel grabbed five wickets in eight overs conceding 22 runs, while Govinda Pradhan took four wickets for Pokhara. But their efforts went in vain as Pokhara failed to chase the target.

Pokhara was all out with just 50 runs on the board as Bibek Dali grabbed four wickets and Aakib Ansari took three to help Birgunj bundle out Pokhara in 24.2 overs.

Sagar Bhattarai was the highest scorer with 12 runs while Anil Gurung scored 10 runs.

In another match played at the ground ofInstituteofEngineering, Pulchowk, Region No 3 Kathmandu registered a thrilling six-run victory over Region No 1 Biratnagar.

Wining the toss,Kathmanduwas all out for 137 runs in 40.2 overs. Indra Kamal Manandhar scored 42 runs off 72 balls with four boundaries and a six. Opener Sharad Khadka scored 21 runs off 28 balls with four boundaries.

Jugal Kishor Chaudhary grabbed four wickets for Biratnagar while Hari Chaulagain, Amit Dahal and Siddhant Lohani shared two wickets each.

Chasing the target of 138 runs, Biratnagar was bowled out for 131 runs in 40.4 overs. Ujjwal Thapa took three wickets while Paresh Bahadur Singh, Bijay Gautam and Sharad Khadka shared two wickets each to bowl Biratnagar out for 131 runs.

Siddhant Lohani was the highest scorer for Biratnagar with 23 runs.

None of the top performers in the U-16 National Cricket Tournament held in March in Kathmandu have been called for the closed camp training of ACC U-16 Elite Cup Cricket Tournament to be held from May 2 to 13 inMalaysia.

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Sunday named 19 players for the camp but the list does not include Aquib Ali Ansari, Bhim Sarki and Iklakh Ahmed. Ansari was declared best batsman, Sarki the best bowler and Ahmed player of the series during U-16 National Tournament. But the players failed to pass the age verification test taken by CAN and Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

According to the CAN member Kiran Rana, the three failed the age test. “CAN has sent samples of 44 players for the first phase of verification, out of which the ACC has cleared 34 players.”

“CAN is planning to bring in new rules which will make it difficult for the players and their parents to hide the actual age of the players,” said Rana.

Four players each from Biratnagar and Birgunj and three each from Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj have been called to the camp. Two each from Baitadi and Janakpur and one fromKathmanduhave also been selected.

Lokesh Jha, Heman Rai, Kalicharan Yadav, Mukund Yadav of Biratnagar, Samsad Ansari, Alfaz Mansuri, Asif Sheikh, Nitesh Thakur of Birgunj, Noor Dhoj Sen, Rupesh Bastola, Kushal Bhurtel from Bhairahawa, Anup Neupane, Ajay Sahani, Aakash Bista from Nepalgunj, Jagadish Chand, Dipendra Chand from Baitadi, Rabin Gupta, Sashi Bhusan Mishra of Janakpur and Adil Khan from Kathmandu are those called to the camp.

Region No 1 Biratnagar and Region No 2 Birgunj started the Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Tournament with victories on Sunday. Biratnagar defeated Region No 8 Pokhara by 43 runs and Birgunj beat Region No 3 Kathmandu by seven wickets.

In the match played at Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Anup Karki’s unbeaten half century and Amit Dahal’s five wickets haul guided Biratnagar to victory. Batting first, Biratnagar posted a total of 169 runs in 43.4 overs losing all the wickets.

Biratnagar lost its first wicket with the two runs on board and later continued to lose wickets in regular intervals. Biratnagar had lost its five wickets with 31 runs on board. Amit Dahal and Anup Karki shared 37-runs partnership for the sixth wicket.

Dahal was back to the pavilion with 22 runs off 27 balls with three boundaries. Karki and Prakash Shah shared 48-run partnership for the seventh wicket and took the team to a respectable total. Shah gave away his wicket on 20 runs off 46 balls.

Karki completed half a century in 91 balls that included four boundaries and a six. Pokhara conceded 30 extra runs.

Chasing the target of 170 runs, Pokhara was bowled out for 126 runs in 36 overs. Dahal grabbed five wickets in his 10-over spell conceding 27 runs with four maidens. Pokhara could not have good start as well as it lost four wickets with 39 runs on board.

Sagar Bhattarai and Amrit Shrestha shared 68-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Bhattarai gave away his wicket for 29 runs off 82 balls with a boundary. Shrestha out for 42 runs off 66 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

After the fall of Shrestha, Pokhara continued to lose the wickets on regular basis. Rohit Singh took three wickets while Puran BK grabbed two wickets.

In another match played at the TU Ground, Kirtipur,Kathmanduwon the toss and was restricted to 154 runs in 49.4 overs. Bijay Gautam was unbeaten for 30 runs off 83 balls while Sunam Gautam (24) and Indra Kamal Manandhar (23) were the other highest scorers forKathmandu.

Aakib Ansari grabbed three wickets while Hasim Ansari took two wickets. Jatta Shankar Sharraf, Jitendra Mukhiya, Naresh Raj Giri and Bibek Dali shared a wicket each.

Birgunj achieved the target reduced to 151 runs in 27 overs losing three wickets in the rain hit match. Bowling was also reduced by three overs.

Hasim Ansari and Bijay Ghalan shared 70-run opening partnership. Ghalan was run out on 26 runs off 49 balls with four boundaries.

Ansari and Shiva Tandukar shared 68-run partnership for the second wicket. Ansari completed half century and was bowled by Jagat Chhetri on 64 runs off 61 balls that included eight boundaries and a huge six. Tandukar (39 off 36) was bowled by Sunam Gautam. Suraj Kurmi was not out on 15 runs off 13 balls and guided the team for victory.

Tim Brooks interviewed former Nepali captain Binod Das for his blog Cricket Atlas. It’s a fourth in the series of Big Questions interviews, focusing on leading associate players in period 2000-2010. Das, once recognised as the best seam bowler outside the Test arena, offers his insights into development issues, the primacy of Test cricket, the role of the ICC and Nepal’s lost opportunity of playing in India.

What have been the biggest changes in the game for associate players since you started your career?

The overall standards has gone up. Early in my career the ACC trophies or the associate tournaments were not that competitive but now every team has improved its standard.

How significant has the introduction of professional / semi-professional contracts been in bridging the gap between the leading associates and test nations?

Unfortunately we still haven’t got a contract system in Nepal in spite of doing so well at associate level but I do believe that a contract system is essential to bridge the gap between associate and elite players. To play like a professional you need to be treated like one.

Nepal played in the inaugural season of the Intercontinental Cup. What difference would it have made to the development of cricket in Nepal had they stayed in that competition?

It would have definitely benefited the players in terms of improving their skills and talent. I don’t know why we were deprived of playing that tournament after doing so well. We were able to beat UAE, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore as well but for no real reason we lost our place in the tournament. I think this does not go well with ICC’s slogan of spreading the game and “GLOBALISATION”.

Do you think the winners of the Intercontinental Cup should get an opportunity to play a test match against the lowest ranked test nation? Is a two division test championship a good idea?

I’m sure that it would be a good way to promote test cricket because you cant have just 10 test playing nation for ever and to bring in new teams they must give associates as much exposure or even more exposure than test teams to prepare them for bigger stage. I believe the two division test championship is certainly a move in the right direction.

How important is the T20 format in spreading the game and how can associates best capitalise on this?

Since It is the shortest and most popular format T20 is very important in spreading the game all over the world. It does not require too much technical expertise so even a less capable players can compete against the better ones. In this way it gives associate players an opportunity to showcase our talent against the best the business. It is the best bet for associate nations to upset the test playing nations.

Should leading associates, and leading associate players, focus on T20 for the greatest opportunity to be competitive or should the ultimate aim remain promotion to test cricket?

I believe that if you are a good player you can play any format of the game. T20 is great fun but we must not forget that Test cricket tis the ultimate challenge and honour as a player. People might praise Suresh Raina for his heroics as a T20 player but he will never gain the respect that Tendulkar or Ponting have got until unless he plays well in tests. So its the choice that we need to make. Money or Fame? For me, a good test player can play well in T20’s but even the best T20 specialist will struggle in test cricket. So players should aim to play test cricket and this will bring success in T20.

Is Test Cricket a realistic ambition for associate nations?

I would like to believe so because if it is not there wont be any more test playing nations and I don’t think this is acceptable for cricket. So It is obvious that these associate member countries should become test playing nation sooner or later but for that to happen soon associate nation boards and players need to put in a special effort. Funding is a big factor that can help.

Nepal have an excellent record at Under 19 level. Are there any reasons why this has not been reflected in such success for the full national team?

There are many reasons including lack of a professional or semi professional structure, players’ migration for higher studies, Ex-pats playing for other countries at a higher level and lack of domestic cricket. These have all contributed to the slump in performance at senior level.

Nepal have a proud record of developing home-grown local players. Some other teams rely heavily on ex-pat players qualifying through residency or a passport. Should the ICC do more to make teams more representative?

I think the ICC and ACC have recognised this issue because only development of local players will help improve cricket in a substantial way. You cant depend on Ex-pats for a long period of time as they will not be there for ever. It is your native players that will carry you forward. So yes I do believe that a lot more work needs to be done to achieve this.

Should Nepal play in Indian domestic competitions like Namibia do in South Africa?

Absolutely. In fact it should have happened a long time ago. Had we started playing in India in 2002 or 2004, I’m sure we would have qualified for a world cup. If the ICC and ACC can help facilitate this soon, you can expect Nepal to be close to world cup participation. And I believe it will be a great help for Nepal cricket. Our cricket association needs to take the initiative and try to get us into the Indian domestic league.

ICC figures show a huge increase in player participation over the last decade. In your experience what are the most effective ways of spreading cricket to new people/communities?

For a new community or country to take up cricket they need to be provided with basic playing facilities and assistance needs to be given for their continuous development. The ICC have a huge role to play. In my view the ICC should also recruit a local administrator in all countries who would look after the local development and functioning of the board. This would be similar to the regional development manager but for each country. They would report to the ICC about continuous development.

At times, I feel associate boards are not run properly and a qualified development manager would help them function better. The ICC should also work on customising cricket as to the needs of different countries e.g. Night cricket for middle east countries and shorter formats for American countries.

What role do test nations have in raising standards and offering support to associate and affiliate nations in their region?

Their biggest contribution would be to let neighbouring associate countries play in their domestic competition. They could also help improve their domestic infrastructure and playing facilities.

Should the ICC target lucrative markets such as USA or China or give every member an equal opportunity to progress?

I feel all member countries should get an equal opportunity but the US and China markets will provide extra funds that can be used to promote cricket in other lesser developed countries. There is no harm in targeting lucrative markets but others nations should not be deprived.

What is your most cherished memory on a cricket field?

Playing the U19 world cups and beating teams like Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa. A win on the cricket field is always cherished.

Who is the most talented player you have played with?

There are a lot of talented players but if I have to name few, Gyanendra Malla, Paras Khadka and Sharad. There was another player who didn’t play enough feel, Sandeep shrestha. But we have been blessed with many other talented players.

If you were asked to select an all time Nepal XI what would it be?

It is really tough to choose 11 players out of hundreds of very good players. Please forgive me if I miss out any fellow players or team-mates, I can only select XI. The following is based on the group of players i played with.

My all time Nepal Xl is: 1. Paresh Lohani, 2. Kanishka Chaugai, 3. Gyanendra Malla, 4. Paras Khadka, 5. Sharad Vesawkar, 6. Mahboob Alam, 7. Raju Khadka, 8. Ganesh Shahi, 9. Basant Regmi, 10. Shakti Gauchan, 11.Binod Das, 12.Dipendra Chaudhary/ Raj Kumar Pradhan

What are your future aspirations in the game?

As a player my immediate aim is to do well in World Cricket league Division 4. We need to reach division 2 as soon as possible. I have attained my level 3 coaching badge so I will be involved in cricket in some capacity in future as well.

Lumbini lifted the title of Fourth National Blind Cricket Tournament defeating Kathmandu by six wickets on Thursday. With the win, Lumbini bagged Rs 14,000 while Kathmandu received Rs, 7,000.

In the match played at Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Lumbini won the toss and invited Kathmandu to bat first.

Kathmandu scored 164 runs losing eight wickets in 20 overs. Kritan Shrestha Duwal was the top scorer for Kathmandu with 48 runs. Kaushal Raymajhi scored 21 runs.

Sunil Chhetri grabbed a wicket while seven other batsmen were short of the crease.

Lumbini successfully chased the target of 165 runs in 17.5 overs for the loss of four wickets. Man-of-the-match Ram Prasad Poudel scored 64 runs while Shankar Regmi scored 26 runs.

Jay Sagar Gir took two wickets for Kathmandu. Kritan Shrestha Duwal of Kathmandu was adjudged man-of-the-series.

Nepali Cricketer Shakti Gauchan trained with the IPL team Rajasthan Royals last week. This created a buzz in Nepali cricket fraternity with fans hoping that he would somehow become the first Nepali player to play in IPL. It wasn’t to be as RR has already decided on the team.

The fixture of U-16 Elite Cup, to be played in Malaysia next month, has been released by Asian Cricket Council (ACC). According to the fixture, Nepal will take on Kuwait on May 4 at Bayuemas Ground.

Nepal will take on Bahrain on May 6 at Kinrara, Iran on May 8 and will face Malaysia on May 9 at Kinrara ground. Nepal finished second after losing to Singapore in the first edition held in Nepal in 2010. Singapore, Hong Kong, Oman and Thailand is placed in group A. the match will be of 40 overs.

Nepal’s most prolific cricket umpire Buddhi Pradhan could add a feather in his cap as he may get an opportunity to officiate English county matches for 2012 season.

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Shakti Gauchan getting a call from IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals has taken over Nepali online social media sphere by storm. The latest in the trend is people searching for Shakti Gauchan in the largest cricket portal in the world ESPNcricinfo.

There have been several groups urging to ‘like’ Shakti’s page on cricinfo. As a result, his likes have skyrocketed to more than 700 in past couple of days. The ‘likes’ was less than 50 just a few days ago. Interestingly, the top searches in ESPNcricinfo were: Mutthiah Muralitharan, ICC Rankings and Shakti Gauchan (in the same order).

Click here for Shakti Gauchan’s profile page on cricinfo.

Region No 6 Baitadi clinched the title of the U-16 National Cricket Tournament as they defeated Region No 4 Bhairahawa by six wickets on Thursday at the TU Cricket Ground. It was the maiden title victory for Baitadi in men’s section of domestic cricket.

The title became first major achievement for Baitiadi after they were introduced as the sixth cricketing region in domestic cricket in 2063 BS.

Bhairahawa had lost the U-16 final in the last edition but against Birgunj.

On Thursday, electing to bat first, Bhairahawa managed to score 136 runs losing nine wickets in 40 overs. Baitadi comfortably surpassed the target in 28.3 overs losing four wickets.

Bhairahawa batsmen were uncomfortable against the tight bowling of Baitadi. Bhairahawa had lost its three wickets with 13 runs on board. Opener Nurdhoj Sen (6), Sabin Ratna Shakya (2) and Khum Bahadur Disuwa (1) were the top order batsmen sent back to the pavilion.

Prithvi Chhetri and Iklakh Ahmed shared 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Chhetri was sent back to the pavilion by Deependra Chand in 21^st overs.

After the fall of Chhetri, Bhairahawa continued to lose wickets in regular intervals but Ahmed stayed on the crease. Ahmed scored 43 runs off 69 including six boundaries. Bhim Sarki, Jagdish Chand, Bikash Bam and Deependra Chand grabbed two wickets each for Baitadi.

Chasing comfortable target, Baitadi made solid start with 58-run partnership for the first wicket between Deependra Chand and Tekendra Mal. Chand scored 35 runs off 53 balls and gave away his wicket to Ahmed in 12.4 overs. Puran Bahadur Singh and Mal shared 28-run partnership for the second wicket.

Singh gave away his wicket on 11 runs off 21 balls while Mal was removed from the creased on 35 runs off 52 balls. Jagdish Chand and Bhim Sarki guided the team towards victory. Chand score 18 runs off 14 balls that included two huge sixes among which latter paved victory of the team.

Iklakh Ahmed took two wickets while Parvez Alam and Rahul Bhattarai grabbed a wicket each.

With the win Baitadi bagged Rs 15,000 while runner up Bhairahawa satisfied with Rs 10,000.  Baitadi’s Bhim Sarki was adjudged as the best bowler of the tournament with nine wickets in three innings and skipper Deependra Chand received player of the final.

Baitadi coach Birendra Shahi termed the result as the historical achievement for the region.

Coach Shahi commented that the batting department of his team was sound and registered comfortable victory. “The pitch supported spinners well and we fielded more spinners than fast bowlers which resulted in our historic win.”

Skipper of Bhairahawa Sabin Ratna Shakya blamed bad luck and poor batting of the side for the defeat. “Cricket is the game of luck and we did not have any luck today.”

Aquib Ali Ansari of Region No 2 Birgunj received the best batsman of the tournament award while Iklakh Ahmed was adjudged player-of-the-series.IdealEnglishSchoolannounced scholarship programs for all the individual award winners.

Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals called up Nepali spinner Shakti Gauchan for trial on Wednesday.

Gauchan will fly to the Indian city of Nagpur on Thursday. Rajasthan Royals, looked after by Australian spin great Shane Warne as mentor, has been busy in its last training camp before the IPL in Nagpur.

“Our national team coach Pubudu Dassanayake took the initiative and after several correspondences with the Rajasthan Royals officials, he asked me to go Nagpur,” said Gauchan.

Coach Dassanayake has sent an email to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakurel informing about the opportunity given to Gauchan.

“This could be a great experience for Shakti (Gauchan),” Dassanayake wrote to Pyakurel.

CAN will bear all the travel expenses while Rajasthan Royals will make accommodation arrangements for Gauchan during the trial period.

According to Gauchan, Rajasthan Royals Assistant Manager Romi Bhinder has informed Dassanayake that the team will try to accommodate the Nepali spinner.

“This is a happy moment for me. It is a great opportunity for me and I’ll give everything to get into the team,” said Gauchan. “All this has become possible because of the initiative taken by Pubudu sir (Dassanayake),” he added.

“At first I could not believe it but I was forced to believe it after ICC media Officer Lucy Benjamin congratulated me on a phone call,” said Shakti

Meanwhile, Nepali Captain Paras Khadka described it as a great opportunity for a Nepali player. “It is a great opportunity for a Nepali player. We, teammates, are just keeping our fingers crossed for his success. Trial, itself, is an opportunity,” he added.

The famous cricket website ESPNcricinfo has nominated Gauchan, along with captain Khadka, in its list of the best XI of the World T20 Qualifiers that recently concluded in the UAE.

Gauchan had claimed 16 wickets during the tournament. Cricinfo has described Gauchan as the chief exponent of Nepali bowling attack.

Region No 4 Bhairahawa set up a title clash against Region No 6 Baitadi in the final of the U-16 National Cricket Tournament.

In the last league match of Group B, Bhairahawa continued their winning streak in the tournament and advanced to the final defeating Region No 8 Pokhara by five wickets on Wednesday at the TU Cricket Ground. Maintaining winning streak, Baitadi have fixed the berth in final the winner of group A.

Winning the toss Pokhara opted to bat first and managed to score 116 runs losing all the wickets in 39 overs. Bhairahawa surpassed the target in 33 overs losing five wickets.

Bhairahawa bowlers did not allow the Pokhara batsmen to remain in the crease for longer period. Pokhara continued to lose wickets in regular intervals. Keshab Khatri was the highest scorer with 31 runs off 59 balls while Sangharsh Poudel scored 25 runs off 24 balls.

Shankar Rana, Iklakh Ahmed and Rupesh Bastola grabbed two wickets each for Bhairahawa.

Chasing the moderate total, Bhairahawa also did not start well but managed to chase the low score losing five wickets. Opener Nurdhoj Sen was the highest scorer with 27 runs off 64 balls while Manish Gurung was unbeaten on 19 runs off 30 balls.

The ESPN CricInfo, cricket most prestigious website, named Nepal’s captain Paras Khadka and Shakti Gauchan amongst the Best XI of the World T20 Cup Qualifiers.

In the list curated by Peter Della Penna, Paras and Shakti ‘caught the eyes in the list dominated by champion Ireland’s players’. Continue reading →

Region No 4 Bhairahawa pulled consecutive victories in the U-16 National Cricket Tournament to strengthen their bid for final while Region No 2 Birgunj and Region No 5 Nepalgunj suffered consecutive loses to crash out of the tournament with a match each still to play.

Bhairahawa thrashed Nepalgunj by 76 runs on Monday in a group ‘B’ match played at the TU Cricket Ground while Region No 7 Janakpur registered their first win in the tournament as they defeated Birgunj by two wickets at the Engineering Ground, Pulchowk.

In a group ‘B’ match, Bhairahawa won the toss and elected to bat first. Bhairahawa was all out for 165 runs in 39.2 overs. Rahul Bhattarai scored unbeaten 28 runs for Bhairahawa while Sabin Ratna Shakya (21 runs), Prithivi Chaurel Chhetri (24 runs) were other contributors. However, Nepalgunj gave away 34 runs as extras, including 29 wides.

Akash Bista took three wickets and Prajwal Shahi claimed two wickets for Nepalgunj.

Chasing 166-run target in 40 overs, Nepalgunj was all out for 89 runs in 22.4 overs. Abrar Ahamed (10 runs) and Anup Neupane (11 runs) were the only batsmen to score in double digits. Bhairahawa also gave away 34 runs as extras including 25 wides.

Man-of-the-match Iklakh Ahmed took four wickets and Rupesh Bastola claimed three wickets to seal the victory for Bhairahawa.

In group ‘A’ match played at the Engineering ground, Birgunj won the toss and elected to bat first. Aquib Ali Ansari scored unbeaten 61 runs and Sitesh Tiwari added 19 runs as Birgunj was all out for 130 runs in 30.3 overs. Sasibhusan Mishra and Rabin Gupta took three wickets each for Janakpur.

Chasing the 130-run target, Janakpur met the target in 30.1 overs losing eight overs. Man-of-the-match Sasibhusan Mishra scored unbeaten 50 runs to seal the victory for Janakpur. Birgunj gave away 31 runs as extras including 25 wides.

Anand Gupta, Samsad Ansari and Aquib Ali Ansari took two wickets each for Birgunj.