The RoundGlass Punjab FC squad boasts of a number of accomplished names, one of them being 30-year-old goalkeeper Kiran Kumar Limbu, who is the skipper of the Nepal senior national team and has plenty of I-League experience under his belt, which includes lifting the trophy in the 2017-18 season.

“In the South Asia region, the level of league football in India is better than the other neighboring countries and there is more exposure here. Getting the proposal to join a Hero I-League club is like playing at the next level and I’m here to give my best for my team. Till now it’s been a very good experience to play in the Hero I-League,” he said in a conversation with www.i-league.org.

The side from Punjab began their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Aizawl FC, with Limbu keeping a clean sheet, before losing the lead to go down to Gokulam Kerala FC 4-3 in their second encounter. The custodian highlighted the ‘competitive’ nature of the league and stated that his team is aiming to improve in their next game.

“Before the league started, we knew that the Hero I-League is very competitive. Every match is a tough battle. The first game was really important and we started really well and won it. Unfortunately, in the second match, we had the lead but could not hold on to it and win. This is part and parcel of the game. We have to improve in the next match and go forward,” he expressed.

The vastly-experienced goalkeeper is his nation’s only representative in the Hero I-League this season and in the recent past, we have seen a few players from Nepal impress with their displays in India – such as Abhishek Rijal in the Hero I-League Qualifier 2020.

Limbu spoke about his desire to see more Nepali players to play their trade in India in the coming years. He said, “It certainly feels nice to see Nepali players in India. The more they get the chance to play here, the better it is for them and for the upcoming generation of players. I hope to see in the future that 6-7 players get the opportunity to play in India. It will be really good for us and the national team too.”

Apart from Limbu, Bhutanese winger and national team captain Chencho Gyltshen, who also played a vital role in Minerva Punjab’s 2017-18 title-winning run along with Limbu is also representing his country. With Bangladesh skipper Jamal Bhuyan also a part of this season’s Hero I-League, representing Kolkata giants Mohammedan SC.

(Courtesy: AIFF)