Neera Rajopadhyay was on top of her form scoring 39 off 58 balls with four boundaries to help Nepal score 109/3 in allotted 20 overs. Needing 110 for victory, Iran was bowled out for 47 in 15.4 overs.

Rekha Rawal was the pick of the bowler taking three wickets for 12 runs in four overs. Sharing the new ball with captain Ritu Kanaujiya, Rekha ensured early blow for Iran.

Her three wickets and a wicket for Ritu wrecked Iran making their score read 10/4 in 4.4 overs. Sonu Khadka grabbed two wickets giving away eight runs in her 3.4 overs while Neera and Ambika Budhathoki took a wicket each. Two of the Iranians bats-women were run out.

The top scorers for Iran were Parisa Afzali (10) and Minoo Hamdollahzadeh (9).

Earlier, Nepal made a brilliant start after Ritu chose to bat first. Opening with Maya Rawat and Neera, Nepal added 53 runs in 9.3 overs. Neera went first, bowled by Najmeh Hakimian while Maya, who scored 20 off 31 balls with a four, departed in 14th over bowled by Nahid Hakimian.

Former captain Nary Thapa scored run-a-ball six before being run out leaving Rashmi Sharma (13 not out off 14 balls with a four) and Ritu (7 not out off 14 balls) to conclude the proceedings.

Nepal also benefited 24 extra runs given away from Iran.

Brief scorecard: Nepal 109/3 (Neera Rajopadhyay 39, Maya Rawat 20, Rashmi Sharma 13*) defeated Iran 47 all out in 15.4 overs (Parisa Afzali 10, Rekha Rawal 3/12, Sonu Khadka 2/8) by 62 runs. Woman of the Match: Neera Rajopadhyay

Minister for Youth and Sports Ganesh Nepali gave away the prize. Maya, who scored 117 runs for the national cricket team during their triumph at the ACC U-19 Women´s Cricket Tournament in December, 2008 in Thailand.

Along with Maya, boxing players Anuradha Lama and Dipa Chhetri and judo players Sunita Magar, Saraswoti Thapa and Indira Rai were also awarded with the Martyr Dashrath Chand Medhavi Player awards.

Maya recieved Rs. 15,000 cash and certificate. She is currently in Malaysia to participate in the ACC Twenty20 Women´s Cricket Tournament. Other winners received Rs. 5,000 each.

The prize, established by the Shahid Dashrath Chand Memorial Trust, is awarded annually on the occasion of anniversary of Martyr Dashrath Chand.

Minister Nepali said only memory and honor to martyrs would make democracy sustainable while speaking and added that political parties should focus on drafting new constitution on time as people elected them for the same purpose.

Former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand said New Nepal could be envisaged by the memory of the martyrs and respects to the sportspersons.

The Trust informed that beginning from next year, it will also award the best photojournalist and best sports journalist covering the sports related news.

Those who received the medals are CAN president Binaya Raj Pandey, former vice-president TB Shah, secretary Shashi Dutta Pandey, vice-president Naresh Shrestha and vice-president Upendra Prasad Bhattarai.

Pandey, on behalf of all of those awarded, received the medals during the ICC meeting last week in London. “We will confer these medals to the awardees in a program in Nepal as asked by ICC,” Pandey said after his return.

CAN had nominated the five for the medals. ICC is giving the medals to 1,000 volunteers from around the world.

Meanwhile, CAN president Pandey informed that CAN is constructing a media center at the TU Cricket Ground for the World Cricket League Division 5.

The event, scheduled for January 2010, is the first ICC event Nepal is hosting.

An ICC staff is visiting Nepal along with ACC Development Manager Bandula Warnapura on third week of July to assess the preparation for the event. CAN is using three grounds – TU, BSAM and IOE, for the event.

Pandey also informed that Nepali women would participate in the qualifying event for the 2012 Women’s World Cup.

Buddhi Bahadur Pradhan, Binaya Jha and Sanjay Gurung will officiate in the tournament that is a part of the 2015 World Cup with top two teams moving to Division 5 to be held in Nepal January next year. The Division 6 is scheduled from August 29 to September 5.

Hosts Singapore, Botswana, Norway, Malaysia, Bahrain and Guernsey are competing in the tournament. The latter two are the team promoted from WCL Division 7 playing in May.

Umpire Jha said: “ICC selected Nepali umpires as per Asian Cricket Council´s recommendation. ACC was always confident about our capabilities, now we have to prove to ICC that we are capable.”

Along with Jha, Pradhan and Manohar Adhikari are ICC-affiliated associate Asia Panel umpires. Pradhan, who is also ICC-affiliated International panel umpire, has umpired 13 one-day international matches.

“This is an historic moment for me.” Gurung said adding that he aimed to enter ICC Associate panel.

Eighteen girls are in training, fighting for a place in the final 14 for the national team for the event scheduled to be held in Malaysia from July 3 to 11.

For the first time in the short history of women”s cricket, Nary will not be commanding as skipper after being replaced with Ritu Kanoujiya. However, Dias thinks this will not deter players from giving their best.

“I always ask Nary to join me whenever I talk to Ritu and vice captain Nitu Thapa because she is a senior player and knows the game well,” Dias said, adding that the girls are doing well.

“Once the final 14 is selected, it will be much easier to work on the specific sector,” he told Republica. “I am very optimistic towards Maya Rawat, Nary, Ritu and Nitu in batting.”

However, Nepal”s strength is bowling and Dias is hopeful of matchwinning performances from Sonu Khadka, Neera Rajopadhyay, Ambika Budhathoki and Nary. “If they just bowl in line and don”t give away many wide runs, we will win the tournament,” Dias said.

Nepal is in Group A along with Thailand, Singapore, Qatar, Bhutan and Iran. In Group B, host Malaysia is pitted against Hong Kong, the UAE, China, Kuwait and Oman. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals.

“Our main opponents can be hosts Malaysia or Hong Kong,” Dias speculated. “But I won”t be surprised if China pull out some unpredictable results.”

Cricket is now an official game in China”s 2010 Asian Games, and the top three teams in the tournament leaving China will qualify for the Games. As hosts, China have confirmed berth along with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

“Our team is stronger than ever,” claimed Pandey. “We got 22 days in closed-camp and players are confident.”

However, Pandey confirmed that wicket-keeping needs more attention. Saraswati Lamgade and Jyoti Pandey are two wicketkeepers in the squad. Mamata Thapa, who played for Nepal in the ACC Women”s Cricket Cup held in 2007 in Malaysia was left out this time.

Pandey defended the decision saying that Mamata performed poorly in the 5th National Games.

In its two international appearances, the Nepali women team has performed good cricket. They were runners-up in the inaugural ACC Women”s Cricket Tournament held in Malaysia in 2007, losing the final to Bangladesh and the champions in the ACC U-19 Women”s Cricket Tournament 2008 in Thailand.

Nepal is favorite to win the tournament but it”s a difficult prediction to make because the team has not played much cricket – international or domestic. Malaysia and Singapore trained hard, playing a three-match friendly series, while China wants to show its strength.

Former Indian international Mamtha Maben is coaching the Chinese side and recently said she would go to Malaysia with the aim of winning the cup. “I have heard that Hong Kong and Nepal are very good sides,” she said in an interview.

Ritu is willing to give the nation something in her first stint as captain. “We are working hard and we will win,” Ritu said. “We need to improve in our fielding, ground as well as air, and apart from that I don”t see any problem in our team.”

Nepali women”s cricket climbed to new heights in a very short period, it will be more difficult now to remain in that position as others are also not far behind. The ACC Women”s Twenty20 Cricket Championship will be an acid test for them, the success providing them a unprecedented highlight as well as an opportunity in a lifetime to play against Test teams in Asia.

(As published in Republica & myrepublica.com / Photos by Bikash Karki)

The video, produced by CAN and NTB on request of International Cricket Council, is directed by Surya Thapaliya. Pramod Kharel sang the song, Mero Desh Pyaro Nepal (My Country Lovely Nepal), written and composed by himself.

“The music video is prepared to inspire nationalism through cricket,” said the director adding that the video was produced in nine-month duration.

“We tried our best to develop sense of belongingness in the eve of the ICC World Cricket League Division V tournament,” he said. “The video also used footage from the Nepal’s victory in the ACC U-17 Cup in Kathmandu.”

CAN president Binaya Raj Pandey said that the music video is produced to celebrate 100 years of ICC. “Last year, ICC instructed all the member nations to do something to celebrate the occasion, and we decided to produce a music video,” he added.

“As far as I know, we are the only country to produce a music video,” Pandey said.

CEO of NTB Prachanda Man Shrestha said the music video was the very good combination of sports and tourism.

Watch the video.

For the first time since Nepal began international participation, Nary Thapa will not be captaining the side as Ritu Kanaujiya has been named the captain for the side.

Nary, who captained Nepal to the final in the ACC Women’s Cup 2007 and to the trophy in the ACC U-19 Women’s Cup 2008, is on the squad along with vice-captain Nitu Thapa, Nira Rajopadhyay, Saraswoti Lamgade, Rekha Rawal, Maya Rawat, Sonu Khadka, Rubina Chhetri, Binu Budamagar, Manisha Rawal, Rashmi Sharma, Ambika Budathoki, Sarita Magar, Jyoti Pandey, Janaki Bhatta, Keshari Chauhdary and Gita Chudal.

The squad was selected by the selection committee headed by Arun Kumar Aryal.

The ACC Women’s Twenty20 Tournament is scheduled to be held in Malaysia from July 3 to 11.

After almost 12 years of highly successful domestic and unexplainably fluctuating international cricket career, Raju Basnet has called it a day. At 30, Raju helped Region No 3 Kathmandu become the inaugural national Twenty20 champions and announced his retirement from national and international cricket.

Apparently, he retired to seek a career in coaching; but the factors that encouraged him to say good-bye of ‘one of his life’s precious things’ are almost emotional.

“I could have played a few more years, but when I see that my team is the only team without a player from U-19 level, I felt it’s time to leave and create space for them,” the player, who also doubled as coach in last two national events for his regional team and won both, said.

Raju was also partly frustrated — for he could not convince his coach and captains for more international matches despite success at national level. Famed as unluckiest player, as he was dropped in the next match after taking five wickets in his debut match and incidents like that, the left-arm spinner played a fighting cricket.

In his two limited over international appearances, he took seven wickets — 5/7 in his debut and 2/33 against Afghanistan in ACC Trophy. And, he played in eight three-day international matches taking eight wickets and scoring 159 runs at average of 23.

“I still deserve a place in national team based on my domestic performance,” he said. “However, during my career, for some unknown reason, my coach and captains were not convinced about my abilities.”

Domestic level is where Raju did justice with his talents. In one-day nationals, he was the first bowler to reach 50 wickets and still second on the top wicket takers’ list with 58 wickets. In two-day nationals, he is at No 2 with 9 wickets. In recently concluded Twenty20, he took 11 wickets in six matches and is on third position.

He knows that the records will be forgotten, and he knows the way to make cricket remember him. “I will utilize my training to polish the talents,” he said. He had taken Asian Cricket Council/Cricket Australia Level I and II Coaching Course and Level I of Coach Educator’s Course.

“I will start training 150+ students at Golden Gate College and I am sure a few of them will be future stars,” he revealed his plan. “And, I am telling them not to think about what the future in Nepal’s cricket is but to think how they can contribute to the better future.”

Raju is one amongst a few who feel sports made them what they are now. “I earned name and fame, and also jobs as a player,” he said. “Though I always rue myself for not being able to do post-graduation.”

The cricket players on the bank of Dhobikhola had never probably thought that a fifth-grader whom they encouraged to bowl with left hand will see such a success. “I vividly remember when they asked me to bowl towards the end of the game and were impressed seeing me bowl with my left hand,” he remembered. “Sarju Nepal and Sameer Sharma used to come to my home to ask me to play.”

Early encouragement came from his maternal uncles, who used to play for Baneshwor Height Club, and his parents, Ram Kaji and Pratima. As a seventh-grader, he represented his school in Indo-Nepal BP Memorial Inter-School Cricket in Patna, Bihar, as opening seamer.

“The first breakthrough was, however, captaining Mahabir Club in the U-19 club cricket,” he added. He was then picked up for district team; played well in Birgunj selection and went to represent Nepal in ACC U-19 Cup in Hong Kong in 1997. His U-19 career spans two years that included 1999 ACC U-19 in Singapore and 1999 Youth World Cup in Sri Lanka.

Happily married to Shailaja Khadka, Raju will continue playing club cricket for he ‘can never be away from cricket.’ So, there are still years the cricket fans will see the beloved ‘pot-bellied’ bowling and running hard, but that will gradually be rarer.

“My students will be there to replace me and I will be happy to contribute to cricket in Nepal,” he concluded with watery eyes that would otherwise be jollying on the day his team lifted the national trophy.

(As appeared in Republica national daily)