Nepal lined up a glamorous Twenty20 cricket series against star-studded former and current Sri Lankan internationals on April 25-May 1 at the Tribhuvan University ground in Kirtipur.

Nepal skipper Paras Khadka will lead the Nepali team represented by Gorkha Rhinos, while former World Cup-winning Sri Lankan cricketer Aravinda De Silva will lead the touring side represented by Lankan Lions, informed Periwinkle Service who initiated in materialising the event. The three-match series “is part of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and Nepal,” said Periwinkle in a press meet on Wednesday. Periwinkle hopes that the event would be a good platform for the national cricketers to play competitive games against the renowned global stars. 

According to the organisers other former stars to represent Lankan Lions include Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas, Rumesh Kaluwitharana, Upul Chandana and Kaushalya Weeraratne. Upul Tharanga, Rangana Herath, Dilshan Munaweera, Farveez Maharoof, Sachithra Senanayake and Chamara Silva are among the current Sri Lankan crickets to play for the visiting team, claimed the organisers. “The games offers us a great opportunity to play against the legends of the game,” said Nepal skipper Khadka. “It will be a much-needed exposure for our boys playing against former and current international stars.” Khadka is currently recuperating from appendicitis surgery in mid-February. He missed Nepal’s double header against Kenya earlier this month.

On the occasion Periwinkle—which in a marketing, branding and promotion company—also plans to felicitate former national team skipper Uttam Karmacharya will lifetime achievement award. The first female cricket team captain Nary Thapa, President of Cricket Association of Blind Pawan Ghimire, male and female team captains of blind cricket teams Kritan Shrestha Duwal and Bhagwati Bhattarai along with the first ICC Panel umpire from Nepal Buddhi Pradhan are also in line to be honoured on the occasion.