Kathmandu, December 24

Nepal Roll Ball Association is set to organise the third South Asian Roll Ball Championship at the NSC covered hall on Friday and Saturday.

Teams from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri  Lanka have confirmed their registration, while Bhutan and Maldives are yet confirm their entry for the competition, informed NRBA Secretary Dikesh Pradhan at a press meet today.

The championship features men’s and women’s tournaments. Pradhan, who is also the national women’s team coach, informed the estimated budget of the championship was Rs 4.2 million.

Meanwhile,  NRBA President Bir Krishna Maharjan said that Nepali men’s team  finished third in the previous two editions held in Bangladesh in 2012  and 2014, while women’s team came third in the first edition and finished as  runners-up in the second.

Tournament’s technical head Sunil  Dhagepatel said the tournament will be equivalent to the world championship as South  Asia countries are the powerhouses in the game. Currently, India are the world cup champions in both men and women categories.

Nepal  men’s team will be led by skipper Manoj Bajracharya with Satish  Shrestha his deputy. Abhisek Manandhar (goalkeeper), Sajib Maharjan, Aasaya  BC, Neon Neupane, Manish Regmi, Birendra Khatiwoda, Bishal Sapkota,  Ajay Magar, Humansong Gurung and Munal Bharati are the other members of the team.

The women’s team  comprises Manisha Thapa (skipper), Pasang Sherpa (vice-captain),  Sumanta Khadka (goalkeeper), Roshma Shrestha, Sunita Tamang, Hishi Lama,  Dipusa KC, Liza Shrestha, Aastha Singh, Merina Regmi, Ashmin Lekhak and  Akshyata Shrestha.