NIC Asia Bank on Thursday provided sports stipend to two U-19 cricketers Raju Rijal and Prem Tamang.

The duo were the part of the Nepal’s ICC U-19 World Cup team that had entered the quarter-finals in youth cricket’s global showpiece held in Bangladesh earlier this year. While Rijal has already found himself a place in the senior side, Tamang is knocking the national team doors.

NIC Asia Chief Executive Officer Laxman Risal and the Under-19 duo signed the memorandum of understanding amidst a programme on Thursday. The agreement will see NIC Asia provide

the cricketers Rs 20,000 per month for the next two years, apart from assistance in purchasing cricket kits.

Risal said the stipend will help the cricketers focus in their game. “We agreed on providing the monthly amount to the two cricketers so that they remain focused in their games. We can use

the two players for our

events but our main objective is to help them play better,” said Risal.

The sports stipend comes as a result of initiation from Cricket Players Association of Nepal (CPAN). CPAN had also initiated in landing an agreement of same nature for leg-spinning sensation Sandeep Lamichhane, who joined hands with Sanima Development Bank.

Skipper Rijal had a fine U-19 World Cup where his innings were crucial in guiding Nepal into the last eight. Tamang, who played as a bowler, also had fine time with the bat scoring 151 runs to become Nepal’s leading run scorer. He had taken five wickets in the tournament.

The two cricketers thanked everyone involved in making the deal come through, adding it will motivate them playing even better. National cricket team skipper Paras Khadka, also CPAN general secretary, said there was more to come in near future. “This is just a start. We are trying to bring similar sponsorship for other young national team cricketers,” said Khadka.