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Players have taken to the streets in protest after the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and A Division clubs agreed to forgo this year’s A Division League and instead organize only a National League.

At the call of the Nepal Football Players Association, footballers staged a sit-in outside ANFA headquarters in Satdobato on Thursday. They also hung their medals on the ANFA gate, saying they were “gifting” them to ANFA in protest. The players argued that the absence of a regular league has put their careers in jeopardy and pushed Nepali football further into decline.

Earlier on Monday, ANFA secretariat officials and representatives of 14 clubs agreed to hold the A Division League under a home-and-away format only from next year. For this year, they decided to organize a National League featuring 10 teams—the top six from the A Division League held three years ago and the four semifinalists of the ANFA President’s League currently underway in Hetauda.

The National League will include defending champions Church Boys United, Machhindra Football Club, Nepal Police Club, Satdobato Youth Club, Jawalakhel Youth Club, and New Road Team (NRT). The remaining eight A Division clubs, however, will not be represented.

Lumbini Lions have appointed Indian coach Robin Singh as the team’s mentor for the upcoming second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), scheduled from Nov 17 to Dec 13. The 62-year-old brings over two decades of coaching experience to the Nepali franchise. Singh has previously coached Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He has also served as the head coach and director of cricket for the UAE national team.

After retiring as a player, Singh began his coaching career with India’s U19 team. In 2004, he coached Hong Kong, helping them qualify for the Asia Cup. He later took charge of India A in 2006 and worked as the fielding coach for the Indian national team in 2007 and 2008.

In the inaugural IPL season of 2008, Singh coached Deccan Chargers and later joined Mumbai Indians as head coach in 2010, staying with the franchise for three seasons. Since Mumbai’s 2013 IPL title win, he has remained part of their coaching structure. He also managed Barbados Tridents from 2012 onwards.

In 2020, Singh became the UAE national team’s head coach and director of cricket, leading the side to the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. More recently, he served as general manager and later head coach of MI Emirates in the International League T20 (ILT20), guiding the team to a championship title.

As a player, Singh was a dependable all-rounder for India, representing the national team in one Test and 136 One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring over 2,000 runs and taking 69 wickets.

The Lumbini Lions believe Singh’s arrival will greatly strengthen the team for the NPL’s second season. Team president Ishwar GC said, “Bringing a world-class cricketer and coach like Robin Singh to Lumbini is not only an honor for us but also an opportunity to elevate Nepali cricket as a whole. His vast experience and strategies will inspire our players and help us achieve new heights.”

Expressing his excitement, Singh said, “I’m delighted to join Lumbini Lions for the Nepal Premier League. Cricket in Nepal is growing rapidly, and I’m eager to share my experience with young talents and build a winning culture. The Lions have great potential, and together we aim to make this season truly memorable for our fans and Nepali cricket.”

Lumbini Lions’ marquee player is Nepali national team captain Rohit Kumar Paudel. The franchise has already signed Australian all-rounder D’Arcy Short and Italian bowler Thomas Draca, with more foreign players to be announced soon.

Players and football fans staged a protest outside the office of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) in Satdobato on Thursday, opposing ANFA’s decision to postpone the ‘A’ Division League until next year.

National team players including Anjan Bista, Bikesh Kuthu, Biraj Maharjan, and Rohit Chand also took part in the protest organized by the Nepal Football Players Association.

Football Players Association President Bikram Lama, along with other officials, players, and supporters, expressed strong objection to the ANFA’s decision to postpone the league.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Players Association had submitted a memorandum to newly appointed Minister for Youth and Sports Bablu Gupta drawing his attention to the issue.

Alejandro Garnacho ensured Chelsea returned from Azerbaijan with a point as he came off the bench to equalise in their 2-2 draw away to Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

The former Manchester United forward fired a sweetly-struck left-foot effort into the net after 53 minutes of an enthralling contest which had slipped from Chelsea's grasp.

Brazilian teenager Estevao put the visitors ahead with a neat finish in the 16th minute but after a slow start Qarabag came alive in the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, according to Reuters.