Kathmandu, February 25

Kathmandu Cricket Training Centre (KCTC) is organising the first Ruslan Cup Cricket Tournament here at the TU Stadium from February 27 to March 5.

A total of 16 teams will compete in the tournament, informed the organisers at a press meet on Thursday. Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club, Nepal APF Club, Ruslan KCTC, G-Force Cricket Academy, Great Himalayan Cricket Academy, Himalayan Cricket Academy, TC Fighter, SS Events, Cannon Cricket Club, Lord Buddha Cricket Academy and Institute of Engineering are the teams from Kathmandu valley.

Likewise, Birat Cricket Society from Biratnagar, New Horizon from Butawal, Nakahyatra Cricket from Nuwakot and Makawanpur Cricket from Makawanpur are the mofussil teams in the eight-day tournament to be played under knock out basis. The teams have been divided into two pools with winners of each group meeting in the championship match. The winners of the tournament will receive Rs 200,000, while the runners-up will get Rs 100,000. The organisers will also award the best individual players.

To add spice to the tournament, the organisers have added exciting sessions for spectators. National cricket team vice-captain Gyanendra Malla said spectators were the pillars of the game. “We will select certain spectators for the crowd for various challenges to be held on the sidelines of the tournament,” said Malla, who owns the KCTC. Ruslan, a product of Himalayan Distillery, is the main sponsor of the tournament. Ruslan will provide the KCTC with one million rupees. “The sponsor will cover the full budget of the tournament,” added Malla, who is also the brand ambassador of Ruslan.