National cricket team skipper Paras Khadka on Monday praised the hard work put in by the organisers to prepare for the upcoming Pokhara Premier League (PPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament.

The Queen’s Events Management Pvt Ltd is organising the franchise-based T20 tournament on October 26-November 6 and after inspecting the Pokhara Stadium ground on Sunday which is rapidly getting a facelift, Khadka said: “When you put in hard work, the results will be there to see. When I last came to this venue, it was more of a grazing field than a cricket ground. Now I can see the ground is almost done to host the tournament.”

Khadka along with national team coach Jagat Tamatta and vice captain Gyanendra Malla also attended a press meet on Monday organised by Queen’s Events. “I believe this tournament will lease a new life to sporting activities in Pokhara,”said Khadka. “It will open doors for others to organise more tournaments in future

The organisers have claimed to make the tournament the highest cash-prized Twenty20 ever in the domestic cricket to add to the already established T20 leagues—Dhangadi Premier League (DPL) and Everest Premier League. DPL so far offers the highest cash prize of Rs 2.5 million to the eventual champions.

The tournament will see participation of six city-based franchise teams: Pokhara, Kathmandu, Butwalar, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi. The details of the teams however are yet to be revealed. Three new city franchises will be introduced in cricket through the PPL.  The organisers said they will also hold U-16 Junior PPL in Kathmandu prior to the tournament. The PPL franchises will form the junior PPL teams. The final of the Junior PPL will be held in Pokhara before the senior league begins.

The organisers have also made it mandatory for each team to field two foreign and two local cricketers in a game. “We will select players through auction,” said Chhumbi Lama, the managing director of the Queen’s Events. “The provision to make two local players compulsory will definitely motivate the cricket enthusiast.”

Lama said they have already informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) about their plans to organise the tournament. “Hopefully we will get the got ahead very soon from the world cricket governing body,” said Lama. As Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) is under ICC suspension for the last two years, ICC oversees the cricketing affairs of Nepal and so needs its approval.