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The auction for the Nepal Premier League (NPL) concluded in Kathmandu on Sunday, with eight franchise teams securing their lineups for the upcoming season. Each team purchased three players in Grade A, four in Grade B, and three in Grade C. Out of the 164 players who participated in the auction, 80 players were sold to various teams.

Eight marquee players were already snapped up by the teams, including Kushal Malla for Chitwan Rhinos, Sompal Kami for Karnali Yaks, Rohit Kumar Paudel for Lumbini Lions, Dipendra Singh Airee for Sudurpaschim Royals, Sandeep Lamichhane for Biratnagar Kings, Aasif Sheikh for Janakpur Bolts, Karan KC for Kathmandu Gurkhas, and Kushal Bhurtel for Pokhara Avengers.

Wicketkeeper Anil Kumar Sah was the most sought-after player, with bids from all eight franchise teams. Gulsan Jha, Lokesh Bam, and Rupesh Singh also attracted bids from seven teams each.

Below are the players sold in the NPL auction:

Chitwan Rhinos  

Rijan Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee, Sharad Vesawkar, Bipin Rawal, Santosh Karki, Dipesh Shrestha, Amar Singh Rautela, Deepak Bohra, Ranjit Kumar, Gautam KC.

Karnali Yaks  

Gulsan Kumar Jha, Nandan Yadav, Mausam Dhakal, Arjun Gharti, Dev Khanal, Rit Gautam, Bhuban Karki, Dipendra Rawat, Dipak Dumre, Unish BS Thakuri.

Lumbini Lions  

Surya Tamang, Bivek Yadav, Sundeep Jora, Aashutosh Ghiraiya, Tilak Raj Bhandari, Durgesh Gupta, Arjun Saud, Dinesh Adhikari, Abhishek Gautam, Bikas Aagri.

Sudurpaschim Royals

Aarif Sheikh, Abhinash Bohra, Binod Bhandari, Ishan Pandey, Arjun Kumal, Khadak Bahadur Bohora, Naresh Budhayer, Amit Shrestha, Naren Saud.

Biratnagar Kings  

Lokesh Bam, Pratish GC, Basir Ahmad, Rajesh Pulami Magar, Jitendra Kumar Mukhiya, Anil Kharel, Dipak Bohora, Subhash Bhandari, Naren Bhatta, Mrinal Gurung.

Janakpur Bolts  

Lalit Rajvanshi, Anil Kumar Sah, Rupesh K Singh, Aakash Tripathi, Kishor Mahato, Shubh Kansakar, Sher Malla, Hemant Dhami, Arniko Prasad Yadav, Tul Bahadur Thapa Magar.

Kathmandu Gurkhas  

Shahab Alam, Bhim Sharki, Rashid Khan, Shankar Rana, Dipesh Prasad Kandel, Sumit Maharjan, Krishna Karki, Bivek KC, Pratik Shrestha, Raju Rizal.

Pokhara Avengers  

Sagar Dhakal, Akash Chand, Kiran Kumar Thangunna, Narayan Joshi, Bipin Khatri, Dilip Nath, Trit Raj Das, Sunam Gautam, Dinesh Kharel, Amrit Gurung.

The 4th Chelsea Inter-School Road Race witnessed an impressive display of young talent, with students from various schools across the Kathmandu Valley competing in a 4.7 km race. The event brought together both boys’ and girls’ teams in a spirited competition, with Budhanilkantha School emerging as the overall champion.

High-profile guests, including Mohd Firdaus Azman, Charge’d Affairs from the Embassy of Malaysia, graced the event. In his address, Azman encouraged the participants to pursue excellence, emphasizing the importance of hard work and dedication. Also present were Sannani Lama, Deputy Mayor of Gokarneswor Municipality, Nandalal Shrestha, Ward Chairperson of Gokarneswor-8, Baikuntha Manandhar, Olympian and South Asian marathon record holder, and Kiran Chemjong, captain of Nepal’s national football team. Additionally, officials such as Raju Pandey, Deputy Superintendent of Police from Boudha Police Station, Rajesh Karki, Senior Sub-Inspector from Gokarneswor Police Station, and Jitendra Shrestha, Chief of Jorpati Traffic Police, were in attendance. Representatives from the Nepal Athlete Association and a medical team from Nepal Medical College and Hospital ensured the event ran smoothly and safely.

The competition highlighted the athletic prowess of the students, with the top ten finishers in both the boys’ and girls’ categories showcasing exceptional talent. In the boys’ category, the top performers included Hasta Sunwar from Bright Horizon School, Anuj Mahat from Kankali Secondary School, and Bibek Lama from Budhanilkantha School. The girls’ category saw Sushma Yadav from Budhanilkantha School, Divyata Bhandari from Brihaspati Vidyasadan, and Sushna Thapa from Bright Horizon School leading the pack.

The event culminated with Budhanilkantha School being named the Champion School, a fitting recognition for their dominance in both boys’ and girls’ categories. The race was a memorable celebration of sportsmanship and young athletic talent, further elevated by the presence of distinguished guests and the fierce competitive spirit displayed by all participants.

Nepal defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by six wickets in their first match of the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup on Friday.

The match was held at the Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka.

Chasing the target of 116 runs, Nepal made it in 16.1 overs at the loss of four wickets.

Samjhana Khadka was the top scorer for Nepal with 72 runs. She hit 11 fours in her 45-ball innings.

Likewise, Rubina Chhetri scored 10 runs while other batters failed to score in double digits.

For the UAE, Kavisha Egodage took three wickets while Lavanya Kenny claimed one wicket.

Invited to bat first after losing the toss, the UAE scored 115 runs at the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs.

Indu Barma took the highest three wickets for Nepal. Kritika Marasini, Sabnam Rai and Kabita Joshi claimed one wicket each.

Nepal will play their second match against Pakistan on July 21.

The French Embassy in Nepal hosted a reception here on Tuesday at the French Residence in honor of the Nepali Olympians and the Nepal Olympic Committee, celebrating their journey and looking forward to their participation in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games which will start from July 26.

On the occasion, the French Chargé d’Affaires, Jean-Baptiste Lesecq, expressed pride in welcoming the athletes and their support teams. In his address, he congratulated the Olympians on their achievements, emphasizing the significance of their selection to represent Nepal on the world stage. He noted that this proud moment extends beyond the athletes to their friends, families, and the entire nation. “Success in sports is never due to one person but is the product of dedication from your coaches and the supporting team who are present here this evening,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the President of Nepal Olympic Committee Jeevan Ram Shrestha said, “We are confident that it (Paris Olympic Games) will be a magnificent event, demonstrating excellence and unity.”

During their stay in Paris, the athletes will reside in the Olympic Village, providing them the opportunity to meet fellow sportspersons who share their passion and values, the Embassy of France in Kathmandu said in a press release today. 

The Chargé d’Affaires encouraged the athletes to immerse themselves in the spirit of Paris and the Games, highlighting unique features such as the opening ceremony on the Seine River and iconic Parisian landmarks serving as venues.

The event was attended by Olympians Manita Pradhan/Judo, Prince Dahal/Badminton, Shantoshi Shrestha/Athletics, Sushmita Nepal/Shooting, senior officials of Nepal Olympic Committee and the coaches. Alexander G Shah/Swimming, Duana Lama/Swimming, and Santoo Shrestha/Table tennis were out of station.

As the Nepali Olympians prepare to represent their country on the world stage, the French Embassy extended its best wishes for a journey filled with unforgettable moments and personal and collective achievements.

The Paris 2024 Olympics promises to be an exceptional event, introducing new sports such as breakdancing, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing. These additions aim to be inclusive and appeal to younger audiences. The Paris 2024 Organizing Committee has also made strong environmental and social commitments, including ensuring gender parity among the athletes.

This event also holds a historical significance as the last time Paris hosted the Summer Olympic Games was in 1924.