- Cricket in Nepal
-
Cricket is the second most popular Sport in Nepal, catching up with Football as Nepal's most popular Sport thanks largely to the spread of television to the rural communities. Televised Indian Cricket attracts huge audiences in Nepal. [1]
Nepal's playing season runs from September to November and starts again in March before finishing in May. Work has already started on a National Academy, felt to be vital given the extremes of Nepal’s weather for indoor practice, which will be partly funded by the Asian Cricket Council.[2]
There are 377 Senior Cricket clubs and 221 Junior Cricket clubs in Nepal.[3]
Contents
History
Beginnings
Cricket was introduced to Nepal by the ruling Rana dynasty when they returned from studies in England and India in the 1920s, though the game was kept very much for themselves and the other elite. The Cricket Association of Nepal was formed in 1946 to promote Cricket amongst the aristocracy.[1]
When King Tribhuvan overthrew the Rana family in 1951, Cricket began to spread to the rest of the population. A team of Nepali players visited India in 1954, and in 1961, the Cricket Association of Nepal became part of the National Sports Council, to attempt to promote Cricket in the whole of Nepal, though this tended to be limited to Kathmandu until the 1980s.[1]
ICC membership
Improvements to the communication and transport infrastructures in Nepal allowed the game to expand outside Kathmandu in the 1980s,[1] and Nepal became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 1988.[2] A major development programme was begun in the early 1990s, with regional and district tournaments established and Cricket being promoted in schools.[1]
The interest in Cricket increased quickly, and demand to play was such that the teams in tournaments had to be restricted until more facilities were built in the mid 1990s.[1] Nepal became an associate member of the International Cricket Council in 1996,[2] which was the year the national side played for the first time, in the ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, in which Nepal finished fourth out of 6 teams in their first round group, beating Brunei and Japan.[3]
Governing body
Main article: Cricket Association of NepalThe Cricket Association of Nepal is the official governing body of the Sport of Cricket in Nepal. It was formed in 1946.
They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1996, having previously been an affiliate member since 1988.[2] They have been associate members of the Asian Cricket Council since 1990 and became full members in 1994.
Competitions
- 1947 General Madan institutes 'Bishnu Trophy' for league tournaments.
- 1952 Madan Memorial Shield instituted.
- 1966 Maharaj Kumar Jugal Kishwore Trophy instituted.
- 1965 Ram Muni Trophy instituted
- 1980 Jai Trophy instituted by National Sports Council.
- 2000 Districts & Regional Level under-17 Tournaments initiated.
Cricket grounds
There are 72 grounds in Nepal with only 17 turf wickets.[4]. International matches can be played only at the Tribhuvan University ground.[4] A new international standard ground is under construction at Mulpani, Kathmandu and other is going to be built at Pokhara with some help from the Asian Cricket Council.[5]
Men's national team
Main article: Nepal national cricket teamThe Nepal national cricket team is the team that represents Nepal in international Cricket matches.
They have been participating in international matches since 1996, including every ACC Trophy tournament,[1] the 2001 ICC Trophy[6] and 2 ICC Intercontinental Cups.[1]
Nepal also has an Under-19 cricket team.
Women's national team
Main article: Nepal national women's cricket teamThe Nepal national women's cricket team represents Nepal in international Women's Cricket matches. They made their international debut in the ACC Women's Tournament in Malaysia in July 2007.
Domestic Cricket
Domestic Cricket is divided into 8 regions viz Kathmandu, Janakpur, Birjung, Baitadi, Butwal, and Pokkhara. The men's and women's team from these regions compete in T-20 and the 1 day format in various age groups.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Encyclopedia of World Cricket by Roy Morgan, Sports Books Publishing, 2007
- ^ a b c Nepal at CricketArchive
- ^ 1996 ACC Trophy at CricketEurope
- ^ http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/93/2036.html
- ^ http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=12469
- ^ 2001 ICC Trophy at Cricinfo
External links
- Nepal Cricket, Test Series, One Day Internationals, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, ICC Elite Cup, U19 World Cup and much more
- Asian Cricket Council
- Official site of Cricket Association of Nepal
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