Member-Secretary of the National Sports Council,
Renowned domestic and foreign sportspersons,
Sports journalists,
Civil servants,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am happy to welcome the famous players of the cricket world to the Rastrapati Bhawan on the occasion of the commencement of Everest Premier League (EPL), an important professional cricket competition of Nepal starting from tomorrow. Nepal’s gradual success in cricket in recent years is remarkable. Competitions like the EPL run by the private sector have made a significant contribution to the development of Nepali cricket. I would like to wish in advance the success of the EPL.
Cricket is a popular and prestigious sport in South Asian countries; Nepal has ample potential for its development. I am confident that both the Nepalese men’s and women’s cricket teams will enrich their experience and develop their professionalism through the competitions like the EPL. I hope that playing with world-famous players will help Nepalese players raise the standard of their game and perform better in the future. I feel that the state needs to increase its qualitative investment in the sports sector including in cricket to make it more competitive.
Nepal is naturally beautiful and culturally prosperous. The environment and weather here is also suitable for cricket to prosper. There is a great potential to develop our country as an important destination of cricket by developing sports infrastructure.
We should utilize the opportunity to promote our art, culture, and tourism as the development of cricket will also help promote sports tourism. I am confident that the Ministry of Sports, the National Sports Council and all other stakeholders are focused on developing Nepali cricket by establishing good relations with the star players who have come here this time.
The reputation and popularity of the game are determined not only by the performance of the players but also by the discipline of the game as well as the available resources. The priority of the sports sector in Nepal is to develop an international standard infrastructure for cricket. All stakeholders should pay attention to this. Such efforts made by the private sector should be supported by the government as much as possible.
I wish our guests a happy and pleasant stay in Nepal. May you be encouraged to perform better. Good wishes to everyone.
Thank you.
24 September 2021
Rastrapati Bhawan, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu