“It is a good start and I hope it will continue in the years to come”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) have implemented the central contract system for the first time.

It has been announced that 22 players will receive central contracts, but all of them will be split into four different grades.

Nepal captain Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla, Basant Regmi, Shakti Gauchan, Sharad Vesawkar and Subash Khakurel have all been handed Grade A contracts, which means that they will earn Rs 35,000 each per month.

Sompal Kami, Sagar Pun, Naresh Budayair, Amrit Bhattarai, Binod Bhandari and Bhuvan Karki will receive Rs 25,000 per month as they have been given Grade B contracts.

Jitendra Mukhiya, Anil Mandal, Aarif Sheikh, Rahul Vishwakarma, Pradeep Airee and Mahaboob Alam all attained Grade C contracts, which means that they receive Rs 10,000 each.

Finally, KC Karan, Rajesh Pulami, Ramnaresh Giri and Raju Rijal have all been handed Grade D contracts, which will fetch them Rs 5,000 per month.

“The contract system, which was talked much in the past, has finally been executed,” CAN CEO Bhawana Ghimire told thehimalayantimes.com. “The deal will be of one year with a review clause in six months.”

Speaking about the new contract system, Khadka said: “It is a good start and I hope it will continue in the years to come. Other players have also contributed in Nepali cricket and they should also be a part of this system. It is time to get together and move towards bigger stage. We can achieve much more if we get support from all the sectors”

Nepal head coach Pubudu Dassanayake added: “Now the players will not have to worry about their family and they can concentrate in the game.”

The Nepal team will travel to South Africa tomorrow to prepare for their World Cricket League Division Two tournament, which will get underway on January 17.