The Nepali Mahakumbh of Cricket has started from Saturday. Nepal Premier League (NPL) officially started with the competition between Janakpur Bolts and Biratnagar Kings in the presence of more than 12,000 spectators at the Trivi Maidan in Kirtipur.

 The league will run till 6th of January. Nepal has previously had Dhangadhi Premier League, Pokhara Premier League and Everest Premier League, but NPL is the biggest league so far. The density of discussion about

, participation from spectators to players, efforts made in team building, physical and technical preparation, etc. is also unique. This league, which is being organized by the Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) under its full ownership, is sure to make a positive contribution to the development of Nepali cricket.

Eight franchise teams Biratnagar Kings, Janakpur Bolts, Kathmandu Gurkhas, Chitwan Rhinos, Pokhara Avengers, Lumbini Lions, Karnali Yaks, Sudurpaschim Royals are participating in NPL. Nepali national team players and other established and new talents are present in this team.

Along with the famous foreign players like New Zealand's Martin Guptill, Jimmy Neesum and Scott Kugelijn, India's Shikhar Dhawan, England's Stefan Eskinazi, Australia's Ben Cutting, 40 people will play in the NPL. For 22 days, this league will make the Nepali sports world cricket-like. During this, Nepali players will get to play with many foreign players.

which will help them sharpen their talents. It can be believed that the talent of Nepali players will be noticed by other players and managers of the world due to the live broadcast from the prestigious sports channel "Star Sports". Therefore, through the ability to express in this league, the ability of Nepali players can be 'exposed' and an opportunity can be created to play in foreign leagues as well.

The arrival of foreign players for NPL, the activity of other stakeholders related to the game, their expressions and posts on social media linking Nepal and NPL will also contribute to the immediate and long-term tourism development.

NPL's sponsorship, sponsorship of various teams, investment for players, their management, advertising in various media can be expected to keep the economy running to some extent. It will create confidence that the players can be financially supported by playing, and it will also make ripples in areas other than sports. New jobs will be created in this process.

Therefore, the importance of NPL is not only limited to the long-term development of cricket, it is wider than that. Therefore, there is no need to limit the NPL to the role of improving cricket culture, identifying new talent, and creating opportunities for them. Rather, it should be used as an opportunity to gain experience in developing economic activity, tourism potential, and ensuring fair play between other countries in the future, from physical infrastructure to security.

The presence of spectators in the opening match between Janakpur Bolts and Biratnagar Kings at the Trivi Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday was remarkable. The atmosphere in the area was festive. The fact that tickets were opened on November 10th from 8 pm but were sold out on the 12th also confirms the anticipation and interest of the audience. Even before, there was an enthusiastic presence of Nepali spectators in the matches held at the University ground.

which was also in the lens of national and international media. Nepali viewers have been criticized for not being able to capitalize on this kind of 'craze'. The successful hosting of the NPL and the changing playing environment that follows may lead to criticism. There is a need for a big cricket stadium in Nepal. All three levels of government and the private sector should also understand this.

If at least one well-equipped cricket stadium is established in each of the seven provinces in their own way or alone, it seems certain that the prosperity of cricket and the profit from the investment in the stadium will be obtained.

This engagement can be expanded further, positioning organizers and franchisees to be financially viable and strong in the future. If the direct involvement and enthusiasm of cricket lovers within the country becomes stronger and the discussion and interest of NPL in foreign countries also increases, the commercial potential of NPL will become stronger.

Cricket craze in the country is unparalleled. The intensity of ticket sales and the crowd seen at the Trivi Maidan premises also confirm the excitement of the audience. There are hardly any other countries except Nepal where there are spectators who sit in the stands to watch cricket and hoot to get tickets.