Kathmandu, January 11:

Nepali national cricket team member Sharad Vesawkar sought help from the Nepal National and International Players’ Association (NNIPA) to acquire a Nepali citizenship here today. Vesawkar submitted a request letter at the NNIPA’s office seeking their assistance to obtain the citizenship.

Vesawkar, who represented Nepal in different age groups and the senior teams, knocked the NNIPA’s door to pressurise the concerned authorities. Sharad had applied for the citizenship with the Nepal Government but has not been able to acquire it.

Ironically, the cricketer bears the Nepali passport and has travelled to many places, including Europe and America, as a Nepali citizen.

“Sharad (Vesawkar) came to us and pleaded for help,” said NNIPA president Deepak Bista.

“As he is a genuine player, we will do our best to get him the citizenship,” he added. “He has represented Nepal in various events that makes him legitimate candidate to get a citizenship,” added NNIPA president.

Born to Indian father (Dilip Vesawkar) and Nepali mother (Himali Khadka) in the UAE, Sharad has been living in Nepal since 1995 and is one of the key batsman of the current national team. Sharad has played in almost every match from the age-group tournaments to the national team for Nepal.

Sharad represented the Nepali junior team in the ACC U-15 Tournament in the UAE in 2002 and proved his calibre as a reliable batsman in the squad. He also played in the Youth Asia Cup in Karachi in 2003 and was called for the national team the next year. Since then he has played numerous matches.

Bista said the NNIPA would write the National Sports Council, Nepal Olympic Committee and the Ministry for Youth and Sports regarding the issue.

“We will request the concerned authorities in the first phase and if they turn deaf ears, we will do anything for the player’s right,” added Bista.

Sharad is the member of the Nepali team that won the Under-19 World Cup Plate Championships and U-19 Asia Cup. He also won the Under-17 Asia Cup and was the member of the Under-15 Asia Cup.