Women’s T20 Cup in Attariya

Kathmandu, March 27

United Attariya Sports Club is organising the Attariya Cup Women’s Twenty20 Cricket Tournament at the Nepal APF grounds in Attariya of Kailali district from April 23 to May 3.

A total of six clubs will compete in the tournament which is being organised to promote women’s cricket in the region, informed Club President Ravi Khanal at a press meet today.

“There are very few cricket tournaments for women and the players do not get enough opportunities. So the tournament will promote women cricketers from grassroots level and help in the development of the sport as a whole,” said Khanal.

Nepal APF Club, Milan Cricket Academy of Kakarvitta, Rising Cricket Women, Kailali District Cricket Academy, Kanchanpur-XI and Bara Women Cricket Club will take part in the first-ever club cricket tournament for women.

The winners and runners-up of the competition will get Rs 200,000 and Rs 100,000 respectively, while the best player will take home Rs 25,000. Likewise, the best batter, bowler and wicketkeeper will get Rs 10,000 apiece.

Khanal said the estimated budget for the event was Rs 3.5 million and the club was still in search of sponsors. “We have been in talks with a couple of sponsors for the event but we found it very hard to crack the deal for women cricket,” said Khanal.

Meanwhile, skippers of the participating teams said the competition was a goof platform for women cricketers. APF skipper Bina Budhamagar said the tournament will help people know about the women’s cricket.

National team skipper Rubina Chhetri, who will lead Milan Cricket Academy, said women cricketers would not have to wait for Cricket Association of Nepal or the National Sports Council to play cricket if such tournaments were held from private sectors. “However, I am saddened by the news that organisers are struggling to get the sponsors. It’s sad that the corporate houses run only after the men’s tournaments,” said Chhetri.

Rising Cricket captain Arati Bidari said her club would bring top players from Bangladesh as well as few more from India and Pakistan. “A couple of players from Bangladesh including skipper and vice-captain have promised me of coming to Nepal for the tournament,” said Bidari.

KDCA captain Anjali Chand, Kanchanpur-XI vice-captain Poonam Pharswan and Bara Women Cricket skipper Manisha Chaulagain thanked the organisers for providing the cricketers with the platform to showcase their talents.