Twenty20 Cricket: Nepal Awaits Most Watchable Domestic Sporting Event

Nepal is eagerly waiting for its most prestigious domestic cricket championship league, EPL Twenty20, slated to begin at TU Stadium on December 18, 2017.

The six-team city-based franchise league will be the country’s one of the most watchable sporting events, says Everest Premier League (EPL) Pvt Ltd., organizer of the event.

EPL made this statement as it informed about tournament updates on December 05, 2017.

“We have been working closely with international vendors who have experience of working in Indian Premier League. We can assure that TU grounds will get a completely different look for EPL,” reads a press statement by EPL Managing Director Aamir Akhtar.

Through this league, EPL is introducing third umpire system in the history of Nepali cricket, which is generally used for monitoring run outs and stumping. “We can only manage third umpire for run outs and stumpings,” informed Akhtar.

Akhtar further said that they are aiming at attracting as many spectators as possible to establish a good crowd culture in Nepal.

Former national cricket team Skipper and current Nepali U-19 team Coach Binod Das is acting as the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of EPL. Nepal can expect a lot from EPL, says Das.

“We are trying to make EPL the most watchable sporting event of the country not only in terms of television but also in terms of ground entertainment that crowd can get,” Das adds.

Highest-ever Cash Prize

The winner of the league will get a cash prize of Rs 2.5 million, the highest-ever cash prize provided by any Nepal’s domestic cricketing event so far.

Kathmandu Kings XI, Lalitpur Patriots, Chitwan Tigers, Biratnagar Warriors, Pokhara Rhinos and Bhairahawa Gladiators are the teams participating in the league.

While 10 Nepali players were selected through auction, EPL makes it mandatory for every team to have at least three international recruits and one player in the squad selected through the talent hunt.

Besides 15-member Marquee squad, Paras Khadka (Warriors), Gyanendra Malla (Patriots), Shakti Gauchan (Rhinos), Sompal Kami (Kings XI) and Sharad Vesawkar (Gladiators) are among six marquee players already announced.