The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) officials have been divided over extending his contract which expires on June 30.

For all his efforts in guiding Nepal to their maiden ICC World Twenty20 finals apart from several international titles in his three-year stint, Dassanayake was treated poorly by CAN. Despite having agreed on a one-year extension in March, CAN handed him a three-month contract on April 29.

After moving from pillar to post without proper response from CAN officials, Dassanayake was forced to consider his future in Nepal. Frustrated with the growing division in the association, he turned down an extension offer from CAN President Tanka Aangbuhang.

 “We understand Nepali cricket will lose its reputation if a coach is treated this way. The CAN president offered Dassanayake a nine-month extension but he rejected,” said a source close to the Aangbuhang faction. “The coach said he will only sign the contract if everyone on the central committee give their consent to the contract.” The long festering factional feuds in CAN came out in the open when a group, including Vice-president Chatur Bahadur Chand, General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakuryal, filed a vote of no confidence against Aangbuhang alleging him of running the association at his whims and fancies.

Pyakuryal said there are multiple reasons to put Dassanayake’s contract extension on hold. “His agreement was done by the working committee in the presence of executive members. But it did not have approval from the board,” said Pyakuryal.

The CAN board could not be convened due to the ongoing investigation by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority on alleged irregularities in the association.

The CIAA probe is also preventing CAN from making any transactions, Pyakuryal lamented: “The renewal of Dassanayake’s contract involves more than one million rupees at the beginning. As such no one was able to take the responsibility of the transaction.”

Pyakuryal, however, claimed to have promised the coach with a contract extension. “Nepali cricket is going through a lot of

turmoil at the moment. I have told him that we will get back to him once we the controversial issues are sorted out.