KATHMANDU: Dhangadi Premier League (DPL) winner will be awarded with Rs. 3 millions cash prize, the highest cash prize in the cricket history. According to Dhangadhi Cricket Academy President Subash Shahi, the cash prize of the franchise event was Rs 6 million in total where the first winner will receive Rs 3 million while the team securing second position would take home Rs 1.2 million.
Altogether six domestic teams are vying in the event that has received recognition from the International Cricket Council (ICC)
Similarly, the third place finisher will bag a purse of 400,000 and the fourth Rs 200,000. At a press conference organized by the Dhangadhi Cricket Academy here today, President Shahi stated that preparation to host the event was almost over as five pitches have been constructed.
Altogether six domestic teams are vying in the event that has received recognition from the International Cricket Council (ICC). South African former cricketer Jonty Rhodes will be the Goodwill Ambassador of the event that will go through February 23. Rhodes is scheduled to arrive in Dhangadhi today itself.
BARCELONA: Messi, who suffered a thigh injury at the weekend against Valencia, appeared for the final half hour against Real Madrid but could not help champions Barcelona find a late winner. Brazilian Malcom, who started in place of Lionel Messi, curled home in the 58th minute to pull Barcelona level after Lucas Vazquez had fired Real Madrid ahead early on.
Winger Malcom’s second half strike secured Barcelona a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid to leave the Copa del Rey semi-final evenly poised on Wednesday after the first leg. Vazquez struck after just six minutes to silence the Nou Camp at the end of a slick team move, with Santiago Solari’s side impressing in the opening stages.
However, Ivan Rakitic clipped the crossbar with a header as Barcelona fought for an equaliser and Malcom eventually found it when Luis Suarez’s shot rebounded to him off the post. Vazquez struck after just six minutes to silence the Nou Camp at the end of a slick team move, with Santiago Solari’s side impressing in the opening stages. However, Ivan Rakitic clipped the crossbar with a header as Barcelona fought for an equaliser and Malcom eventually found it when Luis Suarez’s shot rebounded to him off the post.
Messi, who suffered a thigh injury at the weekend against Valencia, appeared for the final half hour but could not help champions Barcelona find a late winner. “Speaking generally, the draw was fair,” said Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets. “It was very even, everything will be decided in the second leg. There were chances for both sides to win the game. It’s 50-50, even though they’re at home.
“The goal will give (Malcom) a lot in terms of confidence, we hope that everyone in the squad can help us.” Malcom has struggled for game time since joining from Bordeaux last July as he is behind Messi, Suarez, Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho in the pecking order. However, Messi’s injury gave him the chance to impress and the 21-year-old was Barcelona’s liveliest player, always probing at Madrid’s defence.
Wednesday’s result would also have gone some way towards healing Real’s wounded pride as their last visit to the Nou Camp ended in a 5-1 La Liga thrashing last October in what turned out to be Julen Lopetegui’s final game in charge. “Both sides have the chance to go through,” said Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who made good saves from Suarez and Malcom. “It was a good game. Everyone on the team worked hard when we needed to and we played well too.” (Reuters)
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Bikram Shrestha has won the bronze medal in the eighth World Para Taekwondo Championship- 2019 held in Turkey.
Shrestha beat a Morocco rival to win the medal towards one Poomsae under the P-32 male genre held this morning. Russia won the gold while Croatia clinched the silver medal.
Meanwhile, along with Shrestha, Italy’s Ricardo Zimmerman won the bronze.
This is the debut of Nepal in Poomsae of world para taekwondo championship. A total of 425 players from 69 countries are competing in the championship.
KATHMANDU: A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday decided to honor the Nepali cricket team who returned home with the series victory in the recent One Day International (ODI) and the T-20 international against the UAE with a cash prize of Rs 500,000 each.
Minister for Youth and Sports Jagat Bahadur Bishwakarma informed about this at an interaction program in the capital. On the occasion, he also informed that preparations are underway to elect a leadership for the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) by forming a five-member ad-hoc committee as per the ICC (International Cricket Council) guidelines.
It may be noted that the ICC in April 2016 suspended the CAN after disputes in regard with its AGM and new leadership issues heated up. According to the minister, the CAN statute has been amended as per the direction of the ICC and the withdrawal of suspension was delayed as the issue had reached to the court.
Following the suspension, remunerations of cricket players has been stopped. The CAN was monthly paying the cricket players since the beginning of 2015 by categorizing them into three classes –A, B and C– before the ICC suspension.
The players remaining in ‘A’ class were getting Rs 35,000 each monthly, Rs 250,000 was for those in ‘B’ category and ‘C’ class players would get Rs 15,000 per month. The players have been deprived of such facility for over the past two years. “The government is committed to building of proper atmosphere for practicing sports, infrastructure development and good remuneration for players so as to ensure a good future of them,” the minister said.
NEW DELHI: Indian legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar is confident that India will win the 2019 World Cup. He confirmed that there is no doubt of winning the World Cup by India.
Tendulkar said, “I have gone on record saying that we have a perfect balance in the team where we will be competitive in any part of the world or on any surface.” Tendulkar believes host England will provide India with their toughest challenge, while New Zealand too is a team to watch despite having just lost 4-1 to India at home.
“I know New Zealand has struggled in this series but it’s a good unit, one needs to be on their toes while playing,” Tendulkar said, adding, “It’s all about getting the early momentum. My judgment on the toughest contenders would be England, while New Zealand would be the dark horse.”
Tendulkar said that Australia would be a different side when the banned duo Steven Smith and David Warner return. “I think Australia at full strength will be a formidable side,” Tendulkar said. “With Smith and David Warner back in the team and their other bowlers coming back into the ODI squad, it will be a competitive side.”
The 2019 World Cup will begin on May 30, with India’s first game scheduled against South Africa on June 5 in Southampton.
India has had a successful 12 months in ODI cricket. After beating South Africa 5-1, they lost the ODI series to England 2-1 but regained momentum to win the Asia Cup as well as series to Australia (2-1) and now New Zealand.
(Agencies)
LONDON: Liverpool has played draw against West Ham on Monday. With points dropped for the second consecutive game and a title challenge getting jittery. After all, Liverpool is still top of the English Premier League by three points despite being held 1-1 by West Ham on Monday after also drawing with Leicester in the previous game.
“It’s not about pressure,” Klopp said. “It’s about enjoying the situation you are in it. We have 62 points. We lost one game in the (league) season so far, which is very positive.”
There is, however, a noticeable downturn in the club’s fortunes in the league. Michail Antonio canceling out Sadio Mane’s opener for Liverpool meant Klopp’s squad has now dropped seven potential points in its last five games. The northwest club only dropped six points in the opening 20 fixtures by drawing three games.
Now Manchester City can overhaul Liverpool for top spot by beating Everton on Wednesday, albeit only on goal difference and by having played a game more than Liverpool. Reuters
KATHMANDU: Nepali National Cricket team arrived in Kathmandu on Monday afternoon after winning One Day International and T20 international series held at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai.
The team landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at 3 pm today where it received a huge welcome.
National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timalsina, Minister for Youths and Sports Jagat Bahadur Biswokarma, National Sports Council (NSC) Member Secretary Keshav Kumar Bista, Vice President Pitambar Timsina and cricket fans among others received the team at TIA.
The government has honored the team with a red carpet for the first time in history. “The government has honored the team with a red carpet for the first time in history.
The carpet had been spread on the floor from security checking point to the exit gate,” NSC Vice President Timsina told Khabarhub. The team was taken to Hotel Crown Plaza, Naxal from TIA.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Chairman Timalsina has announced a cash prize of Rs 10,000 to each player. Nepal clinched historical 2-1 wins against the host team UAE in both the One Day International and T20 series.
The event has scheduled to be held in Dhangadhi from February 9 to 23. Rohan Mustafa, the caption of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national cricket team; and Sagar Trivedi of India have agreed to take part in the tournament representing the Dhangadhi Stars.
All-rounder Mustafa has the experiences of playing in 27 one-day internationals and 25 T-20 international matches for the UAE’s national team while Trivedi was shortlisted to play the 2015 Indian Premier League from the Rajasthan Royals. He is also an all-rounder.
The club has appointed all-rounder Sompal Kami as the marquee player and other cricketers playing for the club in the DPL are Pawan Sarraf, Dipesh Shrestha, Saurabh Khanal, Bipin Khatri, Hari Bahadur Chauhan, Amit Shrestha, Raju Rijal, Robin Chhetri, Sunil Dhamala, Sandeep Rajali and Dhiraj Shahi. The tournament is based on the T-20 model and a total of 19 matches will be held.
During the league, each team will play five matches in round-robin format and the teams securing their places in the top 4 will be qualified for the Playoffs. The league remains as the cricket event with the highest amount of cash prize. The first and second seasons of the league held in 2017 and 2018 were won by the Chauraha Dhangadhi.
It was a super exciting final in which Novara had many troubles after taking the first set as their display suddenly dropped. It was a chance for Imoco to take over the lead and they managed to make it. However, unlike the game 10 days ago, now Novara answered back and in the last two sets, they played at the highest possible level to give the fans something to cheer about!
Paola Egonu was the most dominant player of the game with 29 points! Michelle Bartch contributed with 15 points. In Imoco, Samanta Fabris and Myriam Sylla ended the match with 21 points each. The MVP of the game was Letizia Camera.
(Agencies)
KATHMANDU: Armed Police Force (APF) club emerged victorious in the DhorpatanWomen Double League volleyball competition.APFsecured the position by defeating the Nepal Police Club (NPC) in the final match on sets: 25-18, 25-20, 19-25 and 25-15.
NPC that secured second position in the match earned total 34 score whereas Nepal Army standing third had earned 32score.