KATHMANDU: The third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) is expected to generate a combined turnover of Rs 1.5 billion between the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and the franchise teams. In a press conference held on the eve of the tournament on Sunday, CAN treasurer Padam Bahadur Khadka said that the NPL will generate a turnover of around Rs 150 crore in a month’s time.

According to Khadka, CAN expects to do business of Rs 70 to 75 crore through sponsorship, ticket sales and other means of NPL from NPL. He said that it is estimated that around Rs 20 crore will be earned from sponsorship alone.

According to him, the combined business of CAN and the teams will reach around one and a half billion rupees as the owners of the eight franchises also spend huge amount of money on player remuneration, sponsorship, hotel, transportation and publicity.

The prize money for the third edition of the NPL has also been increased. The winning team of the tournament will get a cash prize of Rs 1.5 crore. The second team will get Rs 80 lakh, the third team will get Rs 40 lakh and the fourth team will get Rs 30 lakh.

CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand said that the NPL is becoming a brand of Nepali cricket. He said that the participation of the best players, the support of sponsors and the economic activities related to the tournament have increased the height of the league.

Despite the increase in the financial transactions of the NPL, the journalists questioned how the income from the tournament will be spent on the development of cricket. In response, CAN secretary Paras Khadka said that the income of the association is being spent on district, province, national team, age group and women’s cricket and other activities.

According to him, it costs between Rs 70 lakh and Rs 1 crore to participate in a normal tournament. He said that the income from cricket should be invested in the development of cricket as the number of international and domestic tournaments will increase in the coming days.

The third edition of the NPL will begin on Monday at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Eight franchise teams will participate in the tournament.

The winner of the tournament will take home Rs 15 million, while the runner-up will get Rs 8 million, the third will get Rs 4 million and the fourth will get Rs 30 lakh.