Mumbai: Few Australian cricketers (past and present) will assemble in Nepal and play a match in memory of late Phil Hughes on Saturday, the 11th April. This was revealed by Binay Raj Panday, the interim president of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN).
Speaking exclusively over phone from Kathmandu, he said, "The match of total 63 overs (31.3 overs each side) will be played the Tribhuvan University cricket ground.”
In November last year, Australia's Phil Hughes fell by a fatal bouncer during a Sheffield Shield game and succumbed to head injury two days later. He was batting on 63 when he was hit by a Sean Abbott bouncer.
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"It will be a mixed team and another team with Nepalese National players. ICC's administrator, Tim Anderson is likely to witness the match," Panday added.
"I doubt the presence of Hughes family for the match but the family has given consent for the match. We are seeking the services of a few expedition agencies to carry Hughes’ bat and jersey to the top of the Mt Everest," he added.
Incidentally, Panday was in Delhi earlier this week for his business related work.
Paras Khadka, the captain of the Nepal team expressed sorry at the death of Hughes. "The death of Hughes was a huge blow for world cricket and as players from Nepal all of us felt very sad and sorrow," he said.
"It will be a great experience to have this match organised for all of us and we are looking forward to it. If playing a cricket match can add as tribute to him we are more than happy and honoured."
"None wants to see what happened to Hughes on a cricket field."
"It is a huge thing of taking Hughes bat and jersey on the top of Mr. Everest. This shows Nepal's respect for the cricket and its cricketers."
"Climbing Mt. Everest is not an easy tack but very hard. It requires rigorous training and hence, we cricketers won't be joining there," he concluded.
