Sudurpaschim Achieves Historic Milestone by Reaching Prime Minister Cup Cricket Final

Since its inception in 2017, no provincial team had managed to reach the final of the Prime Minister Cup. Previously, departmental teams like Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club, and Armed Police Force (APF) had consistently dominated the tournament.

In the ongoing Prime Minister Cup one-day cricket tournament held in Madhesh Province, Sudurpaschim Province has advanced to the final for the first time. Sudurpaschim secured their place in the eighth edition’s final by defeating eight teams, including two departmental teams. This marks the first time a provincial team has reached the final.

Before this, since the tournament began in 2017, no provincial team had made it to the final. The departmental teams—Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club, and Armed Police Force—had maintained continuous dominance. This time however, Sudurpaschim overcame those departmental teams to reach the final.

In this edition, Sudurpaschim notably defeated some of the most successful teams including Police and two-time champions APF on multiple occasions. Sudurpaschim captain Sher Malla credited their success to players receiving training in India ahead of the competition. He said, “Players have put in tremendous individual effort for this tournament.”

Up to the seventh edition, the Army had reached the final seven times, Police four times, and APF thrice. Police won the title three times, APF twice, and Army once. One edition’s final was canceled with Army and Police named joint champions.

A few years ago, provincial teams appeared weaker compared to departmental sides, but Sher Malla noted that the influence of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) and other leagues has boosted provincial players’ confidence and improved their playing standards.

Key performers for Sudurpaschim include captain Sher Malla, Hemant Dhami, and Narayan Joshi. Hemant leads the tournament’s wicket-takers with 25 wickets, while Malla ranks third with 22 wickets. Narayan accumulated 303 runs in nine matches, placing fifth among top run-scorers. Players like Abhishek Pal and Ashok Dhami also contribute significantly to the team’s strength and training.

In the upcoming final, Sudurpaschim will face the Army Club, the only undefeated team in the competition and the sole team to have appeared in every final thus far.

Sudurpaschim is considered a fertile ground for Nepalese cricket talent, producing players from Vinod Bhandari to current national team vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee. Several Sudurpaschim players have also secured spots in departmental teams, highlighting a wealth of cricketing talent in the province.

Captain Sher Malla expressed confidence ahead of the final against the Army, stating, “Our goal was to reach the final. We have nothing to lose and much to gain. We have played fearless cricket to get here. We will maintain the same mindset in the final and aim to perform excellently in both batting and bowling.”

Most Sudurpaschim players trained in India prior to the tournament. According to Malla, these training sessions were mostly self-funded, which has translated into strong performances on the field. Departmental teams provide monthly salaries and structured training, but such arrangements are lacking for provincial teams.

Captain Malla also remarked, “If 10 to 12 key players received a monthly salary or allowance of NPR 15,000 to 25,000, it would make a significant difference in supporting their diet and practice.”