Kathmandu:

MPC skipper Hari Khadka won the best player award of the Martyrs Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League Football on Wednesday.

Also the national team captain, Khadka was awarded with the Toyota Yaris Car worth Rs 2.59 million. The five-member award selection committee, headed by Bhim Thapa, adjudged Khadka the best player on the basis of the player’s discipline, contribution to the national team and performance in the league. Khadka is the second player after Nabil Three Star goalkeeper Upendra Man Singh to win the award, sponsored by VOITH. Former national team skipper Singh won the award last year.

Prolific striker of his heydays, Khadka made his league debut in 1995 with New Road Team and played a crucial role winning the championship that year. His talent was such that he was picked up for the national team the same year. He is also one of the few players to score in the national team debut when he played against Pakistan at the SAARC Bristol Gold Cup in Sri Lanka in 1995.

After helping NRT win the league, Khadka joined MPC the following year. He has won all the championship played across the country with the MPC. The only honour he was devoid of was the league championship until this season as the Mahendra Police Club reappeared in the league only three years earlier.

“We created history winning the championship. We won the only title that was so far eluding from us,” said the MPC skipper.

“We had won all the tournaments before and now we have nothing left. I am disappointed for not being able to play in the last match but my boys fulfilled their promise and won the match to claim the championship,” said Khadka.