Shree Airlines on Sunday inked the co-sponsorship deal with Dhangadi Premier League (DPL)-2 twenty20 cricket tournament.

The Airlines becomes the official partner of the tournament set for March 31 to April 14. As per the agreement the Airlines will provide Rs 1 million to the organisers Dhangadi Cricket Academy (DCA) to run the franchise-based cricket that offers highest cash prize in the domestic tournament. DCA president Subash Shahi and Shree Airlines Operation Director Kundan Giri inked the deal. 

Shahi informed that the Airlines will provide them Rs 750,000 in cash and the rest in kind. The winners will receive Rs 2.5 million and runners-up will earn Rs 1 million, eclipsing the winners’ cheque of Rs 2.1 million offered in the Everest Premier League in December last year.“It is matter of pride for us get affiliated with the tournament like DPL. Nepal’s successful run in the national and international tournaments have motivated us to join hands with DPL,” said Giri.

Altogether six teams—Mahendra Kathmandu Goldens, CYC Attariya, Team Chauraha Dhangadi, Rupandehi Challengers and Biratnagar Kings—will rub their shoulder in the two-week event. All six teams have already announced Nepali national cricketers as their ‘strategic player.’ Each team will have to mandatorily field two abroad players in a match. The strategic and foreigner players will not go under the hammer. The auction will be held on Wednesday.

Players will be auctioned in four categories with national cricketers, who have the experience of at least 15 international matches or have represented Nepal for three years included in ‘A’ category. The ‘A’ category players will have base price of Rs 100,000 and could be auctioned for a maximum of Rs 150,000.

Other senior and age-group national players are in ‘B’ category. They will have base price of Rs 50,000 but cannot be bought beyond Rs 100,000. Uncapped players are in ‘C’ category with base price of Rs 25,000. They can be sold up to Rs 75,000. Local players from Farwest are included in ‘D’ category with base price of Rs 20,000 with a ceiling of Rs 40,000. Ruslan Cricket of Vijay Distillery is the title sponsor of the tournament.