PM Oli felicitates NPL Champions Janakpur Bolts

Kathmandu, Dec 22: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has felicitated the players and the managers of Janakpur Bolts, the title-holders of the first edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Cricket Championship.

In a programme organized at the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar today, PM Oli congratulated the players of the team who, with their best performance, played a role in lifting the standard of Nepali cricket, as well as the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN)’s office-bearers and managers.

Janakpur Bolts clinched the title defeating Sudurpaschim Royals by five wickets in a march held at the Tribhuvan University cricket ground in Kirtipur on Saturday.

The Prime Minister on the occasion expressed his best wishes for securing even bigger success in the coming days, and for maintaining self-confidence, skills and enthusiasm to demonstrate that Nepalis too can become famous batters in the world.

“This is the victory of all the Nepalis. It is a victory for Nepali cricket. Your exceptional capacity has been seen throughout the championship. The first runner-up team, Sudurpaschim Royals, also performed well. I extend best wishes for even big successes in the coming days to Janakpur Bolts,” the PM said.

Stating that his first decision when he assumed the office of the Prime Minister was to upgrade the Kirtipur-based cricket ground, PM Oli said a call for tender has already been made for that purpose.

He reiterated that he and the government would continue the efforts for the development of the sports sector in Nepal.

On the occasion, CAN and sports managers complained that the process for bringing foreign players and investment or assistance into the country was difficult.

In reply, the Prime Minister said there should not be such a situation and expressed the government’s commitment to solve this issue.

CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand expressed gratitude to the government for keeping cricket a priority and urged the government to end the ‘cumbersome process’ related to the labour permit for good foreign players.

Janakpur Bolts captain said they were pleased to meet with and get felicitations from the Prime Minister.

RSS