Kathmandu, March 5

Star legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane was named the Cricketer of the Year at the NCCS-CPAN Cricketer Awards here today.

Lamichhane, who made international headlines after being picked up in the Indian Premier League and other tournaments across the globe, was declared as the winner ahead of national team skipper Paras Khadka, Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee and Karan KC.

In the absence of Lamichhane, his national team captain Khadka took the prize on his behalf and thanked the organisers and sponsors for the honour. In the period of one year taken into consideration for the nomination, Lamichhane had taken 84 wickets from 32 matches for the national team.

Sita Rana Magar was declared the women cricketer of the year. Rana Magar, who scored 138 runs and took four wickets in six matches, beat her national team skipper Rubina Chhetri Belbashi, Karuna Bhandari, Sarita Magar and Indu Berma.

Likewise, Rohit Kumar Paudel was declared the emerging cricketer of the year ahead of Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara and Kabita Kunwar. Paudel had scored 327 runs including the world record half century in the bilateral series against the United Arab Emirates.

Karan KC earned the Moment of the Year award for his match-winning innings in ICC World Cricket League Division-II against Canada. Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Sing Airee, national women’s cricket team, Paras Khadka, Rohit Kumar Poudel, Rubina Chhetri Belbashi, Sandeep Lamichane, Sompal Kami and Sandeep Jora were the other nominees in the category.

Former player and curator Komal Pandey was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution in the sport. Lamichhane received Rs 132,000, while four other winners — Rana Magar, Paudel, KC and Pandey — earned Rs 66,000 each.

The nominees were picked up by a seven-member Technical Committee that included former national team skipper Binod Das, national team head coach Jagat Tamatta, Technical Analyst Raman Shiwakoti, sports journalists Sarita Shrestha and Subas Humagain and umpires duo Durganath Subedi and Binay Jha.

The first edition of the Awards was organised by Cricket Players Association Nepal under the sponsorship of National College of Computer Studies. Former national team skipper LB Chhetry handed over his autobiography — Captain 1998 — to current captain Khadka, while Khadka gifted the bat signed by national team members to NCCS. Comedian Sandeep Chhetri and singer Hemant Sewan performed in the programme, while students

of NCCS presented cultural shows.

Minister for Social Development of Province 3 Yuba Raj Dulal, senior comedian artist Hari Bansha Acharya, President of CPAN Manish Raj Pandey, former president of Cricket Association of Nepal Binay Raj Pandey, and former vice-presidents Upendra Bhattarai and Ramesh Silwal among others handed over the prizes to the winners.