CAN offers central contracts to 38 men, 25 women cricketers

KATHMANDU: The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has offered central contracts to 38 men and 25 women cricketers for 2026.

According to CAN, captain Rohit Paudel, vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee and Sandeep Lamichhane have been placed in the A+ category, while Sompal Kami, Aasif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel and Karan KC are in the A category.

Players in the A+ and A categories will receive monthly salaries of Rs 120,000 and Rs 100,000, respectively.

Similarly, the B category includes Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Aarif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Nandan Yadav and Gulshan Jha. They will pocket Rs 75,000 each per month.

Eleven players have been included in the C category. Sundeep Jora, Arjun Kumal, Kushal Malla, Sher Malla, Ishan Pandey, Basir Ahmad, Lokesh Bam, Shahab Alam, Hemant Dhami, Binod Bhandari and Anil Sah will receive Rs 55,000 per month.

Likewise, Trit Raj Das, Pawan Sarraf, Rashid Khan, Santosh Yadav, Narayan Joshi, Bipin Khatri, Rijan Dhakal, Yuvraj Khatri, Dev Khanal, Aakash Chand, Dipak Dumre, Arjun Gharti, Arjun Saud, Pratis GC and Sagar Dhakal have been placed in the D category. They will receive a monthly salary of Rs 35,000.

Meanwhile, 25 women cricketers have also been offered central contracts.

According to CAN, captain Indu Barma, vice-captain Puja Mahato and veterans Rubina Chhetri and Sita Rana Magar are in the A category.

Similarly, Kabita Kunwar, Manisha Upadhyaya and Samjhana Khadka are in the B category, while the C category includes Bindu Rawal, Kabita Joshi, Riya Sharma and Rubi Poddar.

Likewise, Anu Kadayat, Ashmina Karmacharya, Ishwori Bist, Kajal Shrestha, Laxmi Saud, Mamta Chaudhari, Rachana Chaudhary, Roma Thapa, Sabitri Dhami, Sana Praveen, Seemana KC, Sony Pakhrin, Suman Bist and Yashoda Bist have earned central contracts in the D category.

Women cricketers in the A category will receive a monthly salary of Rs 55,000, while those in the B and C categories will pocket Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 per month, respectively. Likewise, players in the D category will receive a monthly salary of Rs 25,000.