Kathmandu [Nepal], June 9 (ANI): The Embassy of India in Kathmandu successfully organised the inaugural edition of the Indian Ambassador's Cricket Tournament from May 31 to June 8 at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground.

According to a release by the Indian Embassy, the tournament saw enthusiastic participation from six teams representing the Indian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, British Embassy, Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Corporates, and the Indian Diaspora (ICAN) in Nepal.

The opening ceremony was held on May 31 and was graced by the Ambassador of India to Nepal, the British Ambassador, and the Joint Secretary (South Asia Division), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal.

'After a week of spirited and friendly competition, the tournament culminated in a thrilling final match on June 8, where the Indian Embassy team had a face-off with the ICAN team. The final was followed by a trophy distribution ceremony attended by the Ambassador of India to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, President of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Chatur Bahadur Chand and Joint Secretary (South Asia Division), MoFA, Nepal, Gahendra Rajbhandari, where top performers were recognized and felicitated,' the release stated.

Later in the evening, a reception ceremony was organised to celebrate the tournament's success. The event was graced by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Government of Nepal, Teju Lal Chaudhary, the Ambassador, President of CAN, and esteemed members of Nepal's Women's National Cricket Team. Members of all the six participating teams also attended the event, reinforcing the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship.

'In a significant step to deepen India-Nepal cooperation in the field of sports, the Ambassador handed over cricket kits to three promising U-19 Nepali cricketers. On the same occasion, Embassy of India, Kathmandu also announced the launch of the 'Ambassador's Cricket Fellowship for Nepali Youth', under which two young cricketers from Nepal will be provided with opportunity to receive short term coaching at reputed coaching academies in India,' the release added.

The initiative is part of India's continued commitment to fostering strong people-to-people ties and supporting youth development in Nepal through the shared love for cricket. India remains committed to the growth of cricket in Nepal. (ANI)