Kathmandu, January 22

Nepali Cricket Supporters Society today honoured Cricket Association of the Blind, Nepal and the national blind cricket team that competed in the fifth Blind Cricket World Cup co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

NCSS honoured CAB Nepal with Rs 50,000, 14 players with Rs 22,000 each and the team officials with Rs 11,000 apiece at a programme at the TU Stadium. NCSS President Bhanu Sigdel, Nepal national cricket team head coach Jagat Tamatta and skipper Paras Khadka handed over amounts to them.

NCSS President Sigdel said the amount given to the association, players and officials were raised for the travel expenses of the blind cricket team. NCSS raised Rs 787,000 from the donation drive after news surfaced about the blind team’s difficult journey to Pakistan. “We spent Rs 319,000 to buy air tickets for the team members and distributed the remaining amount among them today,” said Sigdel. NCSS also announced the revolving fund to support cricketers and journalists.

Meanwhile, Tamatta said playing in WC was not easy and hoped that the blind cricket team would do even better in days to come. National cricket team skipper Paras Khadka said the blind cricket team challenged them after competing in the World Cups. “We have played only one World Cup and the blind cricket team has motivated us to make it to another,” said Khadka.