Nepal to benefit from new ground

The government of Nepal has joined with the Asian Cricket Council in funding the construction of a ground at Mulpani.

The Cricket Association of Nepal declare that "the cost of the project is US Dollars 555,947/- out of which Nepal Government will be funding US Dollars 422,238/- and the balance will be made from funds allocated to CAN by ACC." An agreement to fund the final stage of the project has been signed by Nepal's Minister for Youth & Sports Hit Bahadur Tamang, Secretary of Ministry of Youth & Sports Shreeram Pant, Member Secretary of National Sports Council Rana Bahadur Shrestha and CAN President Binaya Raj Pandey.

The Mulpani ground, in Kathmandu District, was formerly a livestock-grazing site as well as a place for people to learn how to drive cars and motorcycles. It's 10 kilometres and half an hour to the east by road from the centre of Kathmandu, with a new highway linking the two coming into operation. "It makes it more possible for Nepal to host international-standard tournaments more efficiently as, with the Tribhuvan University Ground, there will be a media centre, changing rooms, pavilion and fencing," says ACC Development Manager Bandula Warnapura.

It is expected that some of the ACC Twenty20 Cup matches matches in December will be played at Mulpani.

Work is expected to be completed by November at Mulpani. There is also ground development at Bhairahawa on the border with India, that is being funded by Nepali government, "which is a good thing as that part of Nepal is creating a lot of cricketers and they would benefit by having somewhere to play," says the ACC Development Manager.