Nepalaya International has roped in Sydney-based Excelsia College as the title sponsor for the Prime Minister Cup One-Day National cricket tournament slated for May 27 to June 12 in Kathmandu.

National Sports Council (NSC), the country’s supreme body of sports, is organising the tournament which will be managed by Nepalaya. Excelsia Director of Marketing and Student Acquisition Bobby Abraham and Nepalaya Director Subash Pradhan signed the deal on Friday. The two parties didn’t disclose the details of the deal. “There are something which can’t be compared with money. We just wanted to support Nepal’s young players who haven’t had good exposure to excel in their career. This tournament lays a perfect platform for them and this is one of the reasons why we are associated with them,” said Abraham.

“Excelsia will be supporting us both in cash and kind. We have made mutual agreement not to disclose the deal,” said Pradhan. Nepalaya also signed another deal with Nepal Liquors as the co-sponsor of the programme.

Nepal Liquors Sales and Marketing Head Rajesh Prakash and Pradhan signed the agreement.

The 17-day tournament will be participated in by all seven provinces along with Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club, Nepal Police Club (NPC) and Tribhuvan Army Club. The first edition of the tournament last year was played between the departmental teams and regional sides but after the country switched to federal set up, provincial cricket will be introduced for the first time.

While Group ‘A’ consists of TAC, APF, Province 1, 2 and 4, rest of the teams are in Group ‘B’. Tribhuvan University ground and Mulpani Cricket Ground will hosts the tournament. The top two teams after the round robin league will enter the semi-finals. The semi-finals and final will be played in Kirtipur. Nepalaya on Friday also made public the tiesheet with APF taking on Province 4 at the TU grounds on the opening day. Province 6 will clash Province 7 in Mulpani.

After infighting in the Cricket Association of Nepal led to its ban by the International Cricket Council on April 25, 2016, PM Cup is the only 50-over tournament that country saw in the last four years.

The dearth of proper domestic set up has hardly hit aspiring cricketers and Pradhan said the 50-over competition will lay a good foundation for future.

“More than Twenty20 matches, the country now needs 50-over event especially after becoming the ODI nation. We are very much hopeful that this tournament will help bring in more cricketers and contribute to the game in the long run,” said Pradhan.

The champions will get Rs 2 million and the runners-up will take home Rs 1 million. Man-of-the-series will pocket Rs 100,000 with the best bowler and batsman earning Rs 50,000 apiece. The emerging player will get Rs 15,000 and every man-of-the-match will get Rs 10,000. The tournament has an estimated budget of Rs 18 million.