Sixes4Nepal Charity Cricket Tournament to Take Place at Kowloon Cricket Club 15-16 August

The Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) has teamed up with UNICEF and Operation Breakthrough to support earthquake relief in Nepal as well as underprivileged youth closer to home, with the Sixes4Nepal charity cricket tournament on 15 and 16 August at Kowloon Cricket Club.

Six teams, each named after the six most affected regions by the earthquakes in Nepal in April, will take part, with each side boasting an assortment of international cricket stars from Nepal and Hong Kong.

The international players from the Nepal cricket team include Siddhant Lohani, Sompal Kami, Sharad Vesawkar, Shakti Gauchan, Basant Regmi and Bhuban Karki. All of the Nepal stars featured alongside the Hong Kong team at the recent 2016 World T20 Qualifiers.

Among the Hong Kong stars headlining the event are the heroes of the recent qualification campaign when Hong Kong qualified for its second consecutive T20 World Cup in July.

Hong Kong captain Tanwir Afzal, Jamie Atkinson and Irfan Ahmed, who was named as a member of the International Cricket Council’s team of the tournament at the recent T20 qualifiers in Scotland and Ireland, are among the six Hong Kong players to feature. These three players will also assume captaincy roles for their teams in the Sixes4Nepal tournament.

Other Hong Kong stars participating include the big-hitting Babar Hayat, Nadeem Ahmed, Waqas Khan, Waqas Barkat and Ehsan Nawaz.

Top all-rounders and batsmen from the HKCA domestic premier league will also take part, as will members of the Hong Kong Dragons XI, the Association’s Chinese development team. Tim Cutler, the recently appointed CEO of the HKCA will also play for one of the teams.

Day one will feature a round-robin competition with qualifier matches and finals on day two. A Hong Kong 6 v Nepal 6 match will also be held on Sunday following the tournament final.

The players will be kitted out in tailor-made playing shirts kindly donated by MKK Sports and the event’s striking yellow cricket balls have been donated by Platypus Sporting Goods.

Funds will be raised for charity in a variety of ways including team sponsorships, the sale of hospitality packages and public donations raised over the tournament. Food and beverage in the hospitality areas is being sponsored by the Staunton’s Group and Liquid Assets.

Spectators can purchase hospitality packages on-event at a cost of HK$ 500 per day, which includes food coupons valued at over HK$ 300.

Weekend hospitality packages can be purchased in advance at a minimum requested cost of HK$ 1,000. Weekend hospitality packages include 12 food and beverage coupons valid for the duration of the tournament.

VIP pass holders will be able to watch the Sixes4Nepal from the special hospitality areas and will have an opportunity to interact with the players throughout the weekend.

Entrance to the Sixes4Nepal for members of the public is free but donations are encouraged. Public access will be standing room only with entry via Cox’s Road and there will be no access to the Kowloon Cricket Club for non-members over the two-day event.

70% of the total funds raised after expenses from this unique and worthwhile activity will be donated to the UNICEF programme to prevent the outbreak of measles and other epidemics amongst Nepalese children in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in April. The remaining proceeds will also be shared with Operation Breakthrough, a charity that uses sport as a means to rehabilitate and positively reinforce young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.