Cash rewards for Nepal girls

Nepal's success at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) women's tournament has prompted the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to consider organising an inter-school Under-11 combined (boys and girls) tournament in their bid to develop women's cricket.

Nepal reached the final of the week-long tournament at Johor in Malaysia where they lost to Bangladesh by eight wickets. Mohan Singh Rathaur, Nepal's State Minister for Education and Sports, gave NPR 10,000 (US$ 153) to each of the 14 players and the coach Jung Bahadur Thapa for their achievements in Malaysia.

Nary Thapa, the Nepal captain who won the bowler of the tournament award for her 12 wickets, said her side hadn't imagined reaching so far in the tournament.

Binay Raj Pandey, the CAN president shared her sentiments. "I would have been more than happy even if they had reached the last four but returning with runner-up trophy is simply an exceptional achievement," Pandey told the Himalayan Times. Thapa, the Nepal coach, was also pleased with the team's performance. "We were an improved team in every other match," he said.

The matches at the ACC tournament were Nepal's first-ever international fixtures. The tournament is expected to be played around the same time again next year.