Kathmandu Gurkhas on Tuesday began the talent hunt for the upcoming Nepal Premier League T20 cricket tournament.

A huge number of players looking to build their career in cricket gathered at the Cricket Excellence Centre (CEC) at Baluwatar, Kathmandu on the first day of the selection.

The Gurkhas, a premier franchise of Kathmandu Sports Development Ventures, have already signed English all-rounder Dan Douthwaite, Netherlands opener Michael Levitt, Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus and English domestic star and Big Bash League veteran Stevie Sean Eskinazi as their foreign signings.

Each of the eight participating teams of the NPL are allowed to recruit at least four foreign players (maximum six foreign players), while one player must be signed through talent hunt.

National team fast bowler Karan KC is the marquee player of the Gurkhas, who have also bought Shahab Alam, Bhim Sarki, Rashid Khan, Shankar Rana, Krishna Karki, Dipesh Kadel, Sumit Maharjan, Raju Rizal, Vivek KC and Pratik Shrestha through the auction, which was held last month.

The first edition of the NPL is set to take place in Kathmandu from November 30 to December 21.

Sandesh Katwal, chief executive officer of the Gurkhas, said that the talent hunt initiative will target districts such as Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Nuwakot, as his team represented Bagmati Province.

According to Katwal, a total of 380 players had registered online for participation in the talent hunt programme. Of these, 150 players demonstrated their skills in Baluwatar.

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Secretary and Bagmati Province Cricket Association President Paras Khadka, Gurkhas’ CEO Katwal, former Vice-President of CAN and Baluwatar Cricket Club President Upendra Prasad Bhattarai jointly inaugurated the talent hunt programme. Also present at the event were CAN Spokesperson Chhumbi Lama, Bagmati Province and Kathmandu District Cricket Association Member Arun Satyal, and Kathmandu District Cricket Association Treasurer Bitijdhoj Chand.

Secretary Khadka, a former captain of the national cricket team, said that all players who participated in the talent hunt have now become part of the Gurkhas family, even though the programme will ultimately select only one individual.

“Nearly two decades ago, I joined Baluwatar Cricket Academy, much like how you (players) have gathered here today,” Khadka said. “The Gurkhas family has provided you with an opportunity to shape your future in cricket, just as I was given that opportunity.”

CAN former vice-president Bhattarai highlighted the role of Baluwatar Cricket in advancing Nepali cricket and expressed his commitment to supporting its continued growth.

Gurkhas' head coach, Basanta Shahi, said that all the players will be given opportunities in the event, adding that the top player along with four or five others will be invited to join the training programme.

The second day of the talent hunt is scheduled to take place at CEC Bhaktapur. Preliminary selections are set for Thursday at the Great Himalaya Cricket Academy in Hattiban, Lalitpur, with the final selections to be held on Saturday at the One Day Cricket Academy in Kandaghari.