Cricket prodigy Sandeep Lamichhane and star footballer Sabitra Bhandari were among the five nominees in People’s Choice category of the annual Pulsar Sports Award announced in Kathmandu on Sunday.

Volleyball player Reshma Bhandari, bodybuilder Maheshwar Maharjan and badminton player Prince Dahal were the other nominees of the Award scheduled for July 2 in Kathmandu. The winner will be decided through SMS voting, Facebook likes, points obtained from coaches of national sports associations and members of Nepal Sports Journalists Forum, the umbrella organisation of sports journalists.

A seven-member selection committee headed by NSJF secretary Gobinda Regmi had picked the players. According to NSJF President Durga Nath Subedi, the nominations were made on the basis of the popularity and achievements of players in the past Nepali calender year. The winner will receive a Pulsar motorbike.

The 19-year old leg-spinner Lamichhane was in limelight throughout the year after he became the first Nepali player to play the lucrative Indian Premier League for the Mumbai Indians (renamed Mumbai Capitals this season). Lamichhane also featured in prestigious Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Australian Big Bash and Bangladesh Premier League and impressed with his performance. He was also a key member of the Nepali national team, taking 24 wickets in the ICC World T20 Asia Regional Qualifier.

The 23-year-old forward Sabitra is an influential member of the national women's football team. She played crucial role in Nepal's maiden entry to the second round of the 2020 Olympic Qualifier last year. She was the best forward and the highest scorer in the Women's National League besides claiming the honour in the CoAS Women's Football Tournament for APF Club.

Volleyball player Reshma was one of the key members of the APF team that claimed 10 titles last the year. The 25-year-old was declared the best player in the sixth IGP Cup National Women's Open Volleyball Tournament. She also bagged special award in the KNP Sher Bahadur National Volleyball.

Shuttler Dahal claimed the Dubai Junior International Series U-15 gold medals last year defeating Indonesian opponent in the straight sets. He also became the first Nepali player to win international badminton gold for Nepal. He claimed the men's doubles silver in the South Asian Regional Championship. He also struck gold medals in the age-group events of the Zest Open National, Pushpalal Memorial National, Annapurna International among others.  Bodybuilder Maharjan claimed a historic gold last year winning the 75kg division during the 10th World Body Building Championships in Thailand. He also won the 15th Dharmashree National Bodybuilding Championship.

The annual Sports Award honors sportsperson in nine categories including male, female, youth and coach of the year in addition to the people’s choice award. The nominations for male, female, youth and coach of the year will be announced due course. There won't be nominations in para-athlete of the year, special award, lifetime achievement and team of the year awards. The winners will be announced directly in the award ceremony. International Sports Journalists Award is the new category added this year. The winners of the male, female, coach and peoples' choice award will be rewarded with motorbike while winners of other categories will be given Rs 50,000 in addition to gift hampers.