The International Cricket Council (ICC) has termed the controversial Asian Club Premier League (ACPL) Twenty20 cricket as “Disapproved Cricket Event” as the tournament continues to be played in Nepal. 

In an ICC letter to its Associate Members on June 12, seen by the Post on Thursday, the world cricket governing body says: “This (ACPL) is a Disapproved Cricket and Members should not issue any NOC’s for this event.” The letter is written by ICC Senior Cricket Operations Manager Clive Hitchcock.

“The event has not been sanctioned in accordance with the ICC Regulations on the Sanctioning of Events. As such, it constitutes Disapprove Cricket as previously advised,” the letter further adds referring to ICC’s first correspondence after Associate Members contacted the global body following ACPL organisers’ approach with their players to participate in the event. 

Nepal Storms, Indian Stars, Sri Lankan Lions, Bangladesh Tigers, Afghanistan Bulls and Dubai Warriors are the six franchises participating in the tournament that features current and former players from both the Test and non-Test playing countries. The tournament, however, got embroiled in controversy following its launching on June 11 after cricket’s big names from the host country said they were competing for the organisers’ failure to get approval from the ICC or the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). 

Ultimate Sports Management, the ACPL organisers, had said they need not take an ICC approval for the event although few stakeholders of the game Nepal  had asked to do so. The ICC letter formally clarifies that ACPL is not sanctioned by any legitimate cricket body. The tournament is being telecast live by leading sports channel Sony Six.

In a similar context, Zohra Sports Management (ZSM) organised the Nepal Premier League (NPL) that included two-day cricket, 50-over and Twenty20 competitions in 2015 but it ran into controversy after the ICC and ACC disapproved the event as it was managed by a private organization. ZSM organised 50-over competition in Dhangadi but the other two events were scrapped following concerns from the ICC and ACC. ZSM later came up with a renamed Twenty20 tournament in Everest Premier League a year later. 

ACPL was promoting itself as Asian Premier League before it started but after questions were raised over its legitimacy, National Sports Council (NSC)—which allowed the event to be played in Nepal—said it would be renamed as ACPL. However, the event in still being promoted as APL.

Meanwhile, local cricketers continued to desert ACPL after one of the four cricketers sold during the auction, Rajbir Singh, quit Nepal Storms. “We are not aware about the coach and captain. On the first day, they (organisers) said Swapnil Patil (UAE cricketer) will lead out team and the second day it was Haseeb Amjad (Hong Kong fast bowler). Then they came up with the new name in Stuart McGill (former Australian leg spinner),” said the former U-19 cricket.

“Neither the team meeting is held nor are there any training session. I don’t think there is a point playing in this tournament. I have a long way to go and cannot jeopardise my cricket career playing in the event that is not approved by ICC or ACC,” said Singh. Bhupendra Thapa, Siddhant Raj Shahi, Amar Singh Routela were the other three cricketers sold during the auction.