ACC Twenty20 Cup in Kuwait is all set to begin on October 27 with Nepal being one of 10 teams competing for the title; but before that Nepali cricket arena will be served with the taste of newest form of cricket as two Twenty20 events are scheduled to begin this week.
The Pulsar Twenty20 Cricket begins on Oct 11, Thursday with four teams competing in the league-cum-knockout format. Two among the participating teams are full with national teams – Nepal Lions (captain Binod Das) and Kathmandu Tigers (captain Paras Khadka).
The two teams consists players from national and U-19 side currently on closed-camp training for the ACC event. The other two teams will be Sangrila Sharks – a team of organizing Sangrila Cricket Academy and Corporate Giants – a team of players from corporate houses.
The five-day event also features singers and DJs from Nepal and India to give an entertaining touch to cricket. All matches will be held at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
The Schedule
Oct 11: Kathmandu Tigers vs Corporate Giants & Nepal Lions vs Shangrila Sharks
Oct 12: Kathmandu Tigers vs Shangrila Sharks & Nepal Lions vs Corporate Giants
Oct 13: Shangrila Sharks vs Corporate Giants & Nepal Lions vs Kathmandu Tigers
Oct 14: Third-place playoff
Oct 15: Final
Shangrila Corporate Twenty20
The other event, Shangrila Twenty20 Corporate Cricket Tournament begins on Oct 14, Sunday with nine corporate teams fighting for glory at the St Xavier’s School Ground.
The participating teams are (Group A) Sagarmatha Health Foundation, Hotel Everest, Evu International, (Group B) Nepal Sports Journalists Forum, Nepal Credit & Commercial Bank, Nepal SBI Bank, (Group C) Chaudhary Group, Casino Everest and KIST Merchant Bank.
After league round, the top team from each group proceed to the super league and top two teams of super league plays the final on Oct 19. “The event will be funfilled with music during breaks and flooding fours and sixes,” Birendra Bikram Shah, the organizer, said in a press conference.
“Our aim to promote corporate cricket culture,” said Manoj Sood, an organizer. There are cash prizes for man of the match, man of the series, century and half-century, five-wicket haul and hattricks.