Attariya Cup Women’s Twenty20 cricket tournament is all set to begin in Attariya with a new practice of fielding foreign cricketers in Nepal’s domestic tournament.

The five-day tournament has already become the country’s highest cash prize cricket tournament offering a cash purse of Rs 200,000 and now with the inclusion of Bangladeshi and Indian cricketers, it has become the first women’s tournament of Nepal to include foreign players. Milan Cricket Club of Jhapa is fielding two Indian players in Beniti Chaudhary and Ritu Jain with both cricketers holding experience of playing the Ranji Trophy. “We have recruited the two cricketers for a cash of Rs 32,000 each and bear all their remaining expenses,” said Rubina Chhetri, skipper of Milan.

Rising Cricket Women (RCW) of Kathmandu also includes two Bangladeshi cricketers—Shehnaz Praveen and Lata Mandon—who have played for their national team. Along with the two Bangladeshis, the club also include three Indian cricketers Puja Nimawat, Nilam Rajput and Sampa Mukherjee.

RCW skipper Aarati Bidari said the five cricketers in their side were not hired by paying money. “Its due to the good relations with our club that these (foreign) players had agreed to play for our team,” said Bidari.

The tournament kicks off on Thursday at the APF cricket grounds in Attariya with Nepal APF Club taking on Milan. Kanchanpur Women’s Cricket Team is the third team in Group ‘A’. Group ‘B’ consists of RCW, Kailali District Cricket Academy and Bara Cricket Academy.