Kathmandu: Nepal is set to mark its debut in the third edition of the Pickleball World Cup, with a team departing for Da Nang, Vietnam, on Thursday. The tournament is scheduled to take place from August 30 to September 6.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Nepali team comprises players competing in both senior and open categories. In the senior category, athletes like Harsha Sagar Tuladhar, Manik Ratna Shakya, Dil Bhushan Pathak, Phatte Bahadur Khadka, Sharmil KC, and Pratima Pradhan are set to showcase their skills.
The open category will see participation from players such as Jackson Subedi, Sandesh Shrestha, Umid Sherpa, Ugen Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, Radhe Shyam Machamasi, Mahesh Sharma, Sarusa Magar, Dr. Dikshya Rana, Sanjil Kansakar, and Kiran Khanal. Shaurav Bhandari has been appointed as the team manager and coach for the championship.
Before their departure, Member-Secretary of the National Sports Council, Ram Charitra Mehata, extended his best wishes to the team during a farewell event held on Tuesday. Pickleball, a sport that blends aspects of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, is played on a badminton-sized court using paddles and a lightweight plastic ball, and can be played as singles or doubles.