KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 4

National women's cricket team vice-captain Sita Rana Magar is all set to participate in the FairBreak Invitational 2022 in Hong Kong after she signed a contract with the organisers recently.

Queens Event Management Pvt Ltd, the agency service provider of Rana Magar, announced the deal after signing the Memorandum of Understanding amidst a press meet today.

Queens Event Management Managing Director Chhumbi Lama said the organisers would allocate a team for Rana Magar in the event slated for May 1-15 next year.

'After rounds of negotiations with the organisers, everything is settled now.

The player has signed the contract with the event organisers and Rana Magar is one her way to becoming the first Nepali woman cricketer to play in overseas franchise league,' said Lama, who is also the member of the Cricket Association of Nepal. Lama said Queens Event Management will be responsible for managing endorsement for Rana Magar and take care of her participation in the event.

Rana Magar was happy to get the opportunity.

'This is a historic moment for me. It came a little bit late in my 14-year career but I am happy to be the first woman cricketer to get the chance to represent my country in foreign league,' said Rana Magar. 'I have taken it as an opportunity and I will give my best whichever team I get in Hong Kong,' she added.

A total of six teams will take part in the ICC-sanctioned tournament to be jointly organised by Fair- Break and Cricket Hong Kong. According to the organisers, players from more than 30 countries will participate in the two-week event. Rana Magar will join the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Marizanne Kapp, Sana Mir, Deandra Dottin and Britney Cooper in the event.

Minister for Youth and Sports Maheshwor Jung Gahatraj congratulated Rana Magar for the historic achievement and hoped the player would open new avenue for the upcoming generation. 'The whole of the nation will be behind the player when she plays in foreign league and It's an important moment for Nepali sports sector,' he said.

Former national team skipper Paras Khadka said the players could learn a lot from playing in overseas league. 'It's a historic moment as Sita Rana Magar has become the first Nepali woman cricketer to play in foreign league. Players can learn a lot from foreign leagues and it will ultimately help in the development of the sport,' he said.

'We want to hear such news in bulk in the years to come.' A version of this article appears in the print on December 5, 2021 of The Himalayan Times.