Sarita Magar, national women’s cricket team’s key member, on Friday landed sponsorship deal with multi-national kit manufacturing brand SM.

The brand endorsement deal will provide Magar with a complete kit for the next one year in a renewable contract. R&B Business are the authorised distributors of the kit in Nepal. R&B Chief Executive Officer Nitesh KC and Magar exchanged the memorandum of understanding in Kathmandu.

Magar became the first women cricketer to land a brand endorsement from a multinational company. SM has sponsored multiple men’s national team cricketers after it began to facilitate in Nepal eight years ago. National team skipper Paras Khadka, emerging cricketers Rohit Kumar Paudel and Kushal Malla along with fast bowling allrounder Sompal Kami are all tied up with the brand.

A global manufacturer of cricket gears, SM has partnered with top-notch cricketers across the world. Abhaya Rana, also a former national cricket team member, from R&B said Magar will be provided with the best gears available. “We don’t want to associate this sponsorship with cash but she will get the kits which players from Test teams have been getting,” informed Rana.

Magar, who has been an integral part of the women’s national team since the time the country started playing women’s cricket in 2007 ACC Women’s Championship, was happy to land the sponsorship. “I would to thank R&B for this association. If more women cricketers are supported, we will continue to get motivated and do well for the nation,” said Magar.

Her national team coach Binod Das lauded the support from R&B adding: “The overall development focus in cricket is very essential and equipment is one of the crucials aspects that plays a vital role in the life of a cricketer. This association with a big company was needed in women’s cricket. I hope this initiative will get more place in women’s cricket. We would love to have sponsors for all the members of national team.”