Fapla grounds host one of the prestigious Twenty20 tournament—the Dhangadhi Premier League (DPL)—for the first time on Monday with an inaugural match between Kathmandu Goldens and Dhangadhi Stars but hardly anyone in the city would have imagined that a grazing field at the bank of Mohana river would play host to national and international cricketers.

Subash Shahi, who was then campaigning to establish Dhangadhi as the City of Cricket, reached Fapla seven years ago. As the grazing field was stretched to a wider and lengthier area, he envisaged an international cricket ground there. The same day he announced a project ‘Dream Fapla’.

The same grazing field is set to host Nepal’s highest cash-prized cricket tournament DPL but this time as Fapla Cricket Ground. DPL, which started with top prize of Rs 25,000 to the champions in form of Inter-college National Twenty20, has now become a Rs 50 million-tournament with the champions alone getting Rs 3 million.

The United Arab Emirates skipper Rohan Mustafa and his teammate Mohammad Naveed, Babar Hayat of Hong Kong along with India trio of Sunny Patel, Jaykishan Kolsawala and Gaurav Tomar are some of the big international names competing in the DPL. Jhonty Rhodes, the South African who revolutionised fielding in world cricket, is another toast of the tournament mentoring one of the participating franchises and work as the goodwill ambassador of the event.

Organisers Dhangadhi Cricket Academy (DCA) has brought Indian curators to lay the five playing pitches at Fapla. The curators from Mumbai Cricket Association have worked for the last two months to lay the pitches. According to the organisers, it took them Rs 2.5 million alone to lay the pitches and give ground a complete shape complying with the standards set by the International Cricket Council.

Dream Fapla

To materialise Dream Fapla, DCA is organising the third edition of DPL. “It is DPL that gave berth of the project ‘Dream Fapla’. To upgrade the standard of Fapla ground, it was important to hold DPL here,” Shahi said. The first two editions of DPL were held at the SP ground. “We had to waste around Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 million to prepare the ground and pitch at a venue which never belonged to us. Post DPL, other clubs and cricketers can utilise these pitches and Fapla ground,” added Shahi. The temporary parapet at Fapla can accommodate around 5,000 spectators. DCA has proposed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for Fapla to the provincial and central government.

Private Public Partnership

To establish Dhangadhi as a City of Cricket, the cricket enthusiasts of the place started the Dream Fapla campaign seven years ago. “It requires around Rs 3 billion if Fapla gets the international standard stadium that we are campaigning for. The government alone cannot handle the financial burden. So we decided to go with a PPP model for its construction,” Shahi informed. “The government has to endorse the PPP policy and handover the responsibilities to us. But government is reluctant so far.”

A 20 percent revenue collected from tickets sale from DPL—which included the last two editions—is set aside for Dream Fapla. If the Dream Fapla fails to get PPP model, the cricket lovers of the city fear Fapla can be another Mulpani, which is yet to get a complete shape despite the work starting there in 2006.

“Over a decade has passed but Mulpani facility is yet to get a complete shape. A project under government investment never gets completed on time. To materialise Dream Fapla on time, a PPP model has to be adopted,” tourism entrepreneur Sanjay Chaudhary said.

Chaudhary claims that the government can construct the infrastructure but would not be able to manage and run smoothly. With the private sectors showing eagerness in the development of cricket, coordination with them will help prepare the stadium.

Hark Bohora, a member of the DPL organising committee and Dream Fapla campaigner, claims if the government adopts PPP model, Fapla will get an international standard stadium in just three years. “We appeal the government to either work to materialise the project or let us do it,” Bohora said.

The community forest and district forest have already approved Fapla for a cricket stadium. It also received budget in the 2016-17 fiscal year. According to Shahi, the Rs 4 million allocated that fiscal year was used in ground levelling and land-filling. The province government has allocated Rs 50 million and Dhangadhi Sub Metropolitan Rs 10 million this fiscal year for Fapla.

Detail Project Report

Province 7 Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Jhapat Bohora said they were preparing to construct Fapla Stadium through the investment from the central government and province. “We have prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a multi purposive Fapla International Stadium that will require an investment of Rs 3 billion. We are taking Fapla as a project of pride for the provincial government,” Bohora said.

“From the total budget, the provincial government will bear 60 percent costs and rest will come from the central government. We have already forwarded the papers required for grant letter to the central government. After the central government finalises its stand over the grant, the province will decide whether to adopt a PPP model or not. If the government was willing to undertake the project on its own why do we need to seek partnership?” asked Bohora.

The Dhangadhi Sub Metropolitan Mayor Nrip Bahadur Bad said adopting PPP model would be the best because the government alone cannot complete project.

“The Fapla Stadium can only be completed on time if the private sectors chip in along with the local, provincial and central government,” said Bad. “This project will not finish in 50 years if only the government decides to invest.”