National Sports Council (NSC) is organising the Prime Minister (PM) Cup Inter-Province One-day national cricket tournament from May 27 to June 12. The first edition was played between five regional and three departmental teams but with the country going into a provincial set up, seven province teams have been introduced for the tournament. Departmental sides Nepal Armed Police Force (APF), Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) and Nepal Police Club (NPC) will continue to participate in the 10-team event.

With Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) still under ICC suspension, the country’s supreme sports governing body had initiated the tournament last year making it country’s first 50-over national cricket tournament in three years. “The national cricket team has given the country a lot to cheer after earning the One-Day International (ODI) status. We believe that this tournament will at least give a good amount of exposure to our cricketers in the absence of domestic cricket,” said NSC Member Secretary Keshav Bista on Thursday.

CAN is currently under International Cricket Council (ICC) suspension leaving the country’s cricket totally paralysed. “Once the CAN suspension is lifted, we will allow the cricket governing body itself to organise the event,” added Bista. PM Cup is the highest cash-prized 50-over cricket tournament which will give away Rs 2 million to the champions. While the runners-up will get Rs 1 million, man-of-the-series will collect a purse of Rs 100,000. The best batsman and bowler will get Rs 50,000 apiece with every man-of-the-match walking away with Rs 10,000. The emerging player of the tournament will get Rs 15,000.

According to Bista, NSC is also considering to hand over a motorcycle to man-of-the-series. Nepalaya International, a company managed by former U-19 international Subash Pradhan, will look after the management aspect of the tournament. National team vice-captain Gyanendra Malla’s Kathmandu Cricket Training Centre had managed the event last year but did not bid for this time. The tournament has an estimated budget of Rs 18 million. In its recent past, Nepalaya has organised inter-school and inter-college cricket tournaments at different parts of the country.

Pradhan was excited to be given the opportunity. “50-over cricket is the backbone of domestic cricket. We have a good experience of holding nationwide tournaments in the past. So we are keen on making the tournament a success,” said Pradhan. Nepalaya will use Mulpani Cricket Ground and TU ground to host the lengthy tournament that will be played for 16 days, the lengthiest 50-over national cricket tournament to be ever played in Nepal.

The participating teams are divided into two groups. APF, TAC will clash in Group ‘A’ that also consists of Province 1, 2 and 4 with the rest in Group ‘B’. The top two teams after the round robin league will enter the semi-finals. According to national team head coach Jagat Tamatta, the Province teams will have a separate committee to select the players.