Sports
ICC reps set for Nepal visit to address cricket crisis
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said it will send its delegation to Nepal “in a due course” to find a way out for the current deadlock in country’s cricket governing body.The International Cricket Council (ICC) said it will send its delegation to Nepal “in a due course” to find a way out for the current deadlock in country’s cricket governing body.
Nepali cricket has been running without a board after ICC suspended the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on April 25. The world cricket governing body had suspended the CAN citing a dual existence of CAN caused primarily by a disputed election before an ad-hoc committee was formed in response by the National Sports Council.
After its Full Council meeting in Scotland on Thursday, the ICC said it will send a delegation to Nepal to talk with various stake holders in giving a way out to the current crisis. Along with Nepal, the ICC had also suspended the USA Cricket Association (USACA) in June, 2015 because of similar circumstances.
The 53-member Full Council also unanimously ratified the suspensions of both the countries. ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar said it is well aware of the importance of both Nepal and USA in world cricket assuring support for both.
“Both Nepal and the US are important members of the ICC as they have tremendous talent and potential. The ICC, as part of its game and market development strategy, will continue to provide the countries with as much support as possible so that they can put in place good governance and cricket structures,” Manohar was quoted by the ICC as saying.
Although ICC is yet to come up with a fixed date for Nepal visit, it said it will talk with various stakeholders before taking its next step. “An ICC delegation will visit Nepal and will meet with the Nepal government and cricket officials,” added Manohar. Manohar announced that ICC delegations comprising Board Directors and senior management will visit the two countries to meet with the relevant stakeholders and provide an update during the October meetings.
After the suspension of CAN, ICC handed over the responsibility of local cricket operations to Bhawana Ghimire, the CEO appointed by the CAN ad-hoc committee. The ICC had also decided to continue with the three-member selection panel comprising national team coach Jagat Tamatta and skipper Paras Khadka with ICC Asia Development Officer Venkatapathy Raju acting as an advisor.
Nepal was monitored by the same set up in their ICC World Cricket League Championship home matches against Namibia on April 16 and 18. The same set up is also looking after Nepal’s upcoming tours of England and the Netherlands.
The meeting of the world cricket governing body on Thursday also unanimously elected Saudi Arabia as ICC’s 39th Associate member.