Cricket
CAN ropes in Chaudhary Group for U-19 cricket team
Chaudhary Group were associated with the age group cricket since 2005 before the association discontinued in 2017 after the country’s cricket governing body was suspended by the International Cricket Council.Sports Bureau
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) inked a sponsorship deal with the Chaudhary Group on Monday for the U-19 national men's cricket team and national tournament for five years.
Chaudhary Group, the producer of Wai Wai instant noodles, will provide Rs7 million every year to CAN as the chief sponsors with an increment of 10 percent after every two years. CAN will get a total of Rs37.7 million at the completion of the five-year term.
In turn, the U-19 national men's cricket team will wear jerseys bearing the name of sponsor in any official international tournament they play. The U-19 cricket tournament to be organised by CAN at the district, provincial and national levels will also be branded as Wai Wai U-19 Cricket Tournament.
CAN president Chatur Bahadur Chand and Chaudhary Group managing director Nirvana Chaudhary inked the deal on behalf of their institutions.
Chaudhary Group were associated with the age group cricket since 2005 before the association discontinued in 2017 after the country’s cricket governing body was suspended by the International Cricket Council.
"Cricket was not this popular when we first signed the sponsorship deal 16 years back," recalled Chaudhary. "Now it gives us pleasure to see the game get this height and gain such popularity. In the past one and a half decades, we have sponsored every team including men, women and age group teams."
CAN president Chand thanked the Group for supporting Nepali cricket. "We have been negotiating with the Group for the last one and a half years. The sponsorship will definitely contribute to developing cricket in the country," said Chand.
Former national captain and CAN manager Binod Das said that the sponsorship amount will be spent for U-19 cricket events ranging from district qualifiers to national events. He also said they were in negotiations about sponsoring the U-19 women's cricket team.
My Second Teacher co-founder and ING Group Chairman Sulav Budhathoki and national cricket team captain Gayanandra Malla (right) unveil the jersey on Monday. Post Photo: Keshav Thapa
E-learning platform My Second Teacher will appear as the main sponsor in the national cricket team's newly unveiled jersey.
The main front part of the jersey will have the logo (name) of My Second Teacher and the back part will have the name of Islington College. The jersey will also carry the logo of ING Group.
Adpad, who had acquired commercial rights for the national cricket team men's jersey for the T20Is and ODIs as per the ICC regulation from Cricket Association of Nepal some three months ago, has partnered with the Ing Group for the sponsorship.
National cricket captain Gyanendra Malla and ING group's Sulav Budhathoki unveiled the new jersey on Monday.
CAN and Adpad struck an agreement effective for 15 months in the last week of December. Though CAN and Adpad have not officially revealed the amount of the deal, the Post has learned that the cricket governing body would get Rs5.6 million excluding tax, branding and other costs. Adpad has not revealed the perks they would get from ING Group.
ING Group's Budhathoki said that the investment was their bid to support development of sports through the education section. "Though the initial agreement is for one year, it can be extended to three years in future," said Budhahtoki.
Nepal would wear the new jersey in the Tri-Nations Cup twenty20 cricket tournament beginning on Saturday.