Jeet Thayil and Tan Twan Eng who were up against each other for the Man Booker Prize, clash yet again as both of them get shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize.

The Man Asian Literary Prize is worth $30,000 and is awarded to the best novel written by an Asian writer, either in English or translated to English. This year former Man Booker Prize Rivalries Jeet Thayil and Tan Twan Eng are pitted against each other yet again as they both make it to The Man Asian Literary Prize 2012 shortlist.

Indian poet Jeet Thayil has been nominated for his debut novel "Narcopolis" that tells a story of the opium dens of old Bombay and Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng makes it to the list owing to his novel "The Garden of Evening Mists", that tells the story of aftermath of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia.

Other contenders for the prize include Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk for his novel "Silent House," which chair of judges journalist Maya Jaggi is a "dark family" set in a "decrepit mansion at a Turkish seaside resort, on the eve of a military coup".

Japanese writer Hiromi Kawakami is also one of the 5 shortlisted candidates for his book "The Briefcase", in which the "ambiguous relationship between an office worker nearing 40 and her former literature teacher, a retired widower, is traced with astonishing delicacy and humor", said Jaggi,

Pakistani writer Musharraf Ali Farooqi also makes it to the list for his novel "Between Clay and Dust."

"Several of these writers have been celebrated in their own countries and recognised internationally, but never before have we viewed them collectively as Asian writers," said executive director of the award, Professor David Parker. "The Man Asian literary prize is the only award that places Asian authors from across the whole breadth of the region side by side and gives readers a fresh perspective on the best fiction from our part of the world."

Along with Jaggie, the judge panel consists of Vietnamese American novelist Monique Truong and Indian novelist Vikram Chandra. The results will be announced March 14.

"Since October we have been contacted by several Asian-based and global corporations about sponsoring the prize," said Spokesperson of current sponsor the Man Group, Harrison Kelly. "In fact we are currently in encouraging talks with potential partners. Of course these things take time and we are yet to finalize anything, but we are thrilled that so many people value the prize as much as we do and see sponsoring us as a unique opportunity to create a stronger presence throughout Asia."