Nepal offers Indian company to run Nepal Premier League

Kathmandu: Nepal Cricket Association (NCA) has proposed to hand over the responsibility of Nepal Premier League (NPL) project to an Indian company for 10 years.

Organizing the CAN’s Virtual General Assembly on Wednesday, on behalf of CAN officials, a proposal has been submitted to hand over the responsibility of NPL project to Indian company Seven 3 Sports Pvt. Ltd. for 10 years.

As per the proposal, the company will hand over Rs 25 million to the cricket association in the first year. And, gradually increasing it will pay about Rs 400 million in 10 years.

But there is no record of the proposed Indian company organizing a big sports competition so far. Founded in 2012, the company has a paid-up capital of only Rs 10 million. A member of the meeting informed how such a company successfully organizes the competition.

Meanwhile, former captain and Bara representative Pawan Agrawal, state 3 president Raju Basnet and others have said that giving NPL on contract for 10 years would be fatal.

“For the time being, it will be a huge amount of Rs 20 million. In 10 years, Nepal cricket will reach a higher level,” said Basnet, who is also a cricket coach.

Basnet, Agrawal and others insisted that the cricket association should organize the tournament itself. “What is different from other leagues in Nepal if all the responsibility of organizing the competition is given to others and only royalty is taken?” Agarwal says, ‘Even if you take the risk, this competition should be organized by CAN itself. Instead, companies can be hired for event management.

The Cricket Association has stated that the representatives of the General Assembly have agreed to organize the Nepal Premier League. Batak has given the responsibility to the Central Working Committee to move the agreement forward for the NPL to be owned by the Cricket Association.