KATHMANDU, March 25: Member Secretary of the Nepal Sports Council Keshav Bahadur Bista has informed that the upcoming annual meeting of International Cricket Council (ICC) on June will lift suspension of Cricket Association Nepal (CAN).
Speaking at the farewell program of the 20-member Nepali cricket team on Saturday, Bista said that with the lift of the suspension, the contract amount of the officials of CAN and the players will be released.
Likewise, Bista informed that he has taken initiation and has urged the ICC to reimburse the money collected by the sale of the tickets of the match against Namibia and Kenya at earliest.
He wished the team for the better performance and hoped that the newcomers will get best platform in the international arena.
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Speaking at the same program, national cricket team captain Gyanendra Malla said that the ACC Emerging Teams Cup will be a great opportunity for giving exposure to young talents who are likely to replace the old guards in the future.
He hoped that the team comprised of the potential new comers will help the team to stand firmly against the teams of Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Bista and other officials bid farewell to the team. The team left for Dhaka on Saturday evening.
Nepal, alongside fellow associate nations Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Malaysia will contest with U-23 teams of the Test-playing nations including host Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the second edition of the tournament.
Nepal, which is pitted in Group B of the tournament, will start its campaign facing Pakistan in the opening match at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox's Bazar. Similarly, Nepal will compete against another Test-playing nation Bangladesh on March 27 and faces Hong Kong in its last group-stage match on March 30. Meanwhile, Group A consists of India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Malaysia. The top two teams from each group will book their places in the last four.
A 15-member squad announced for the Emerging Teams Cup scheduled for March 27 to April 3 in Bangladesh has many new faces including Dipesh Shrestha and Mahamad Asif Sheikh. Regular captain Paras Khadka, veteran left arm spinners Shakti Gauchan and Basant Regmi alongside fast bowler Sompal Kami are the absentees of the squad. Paras is still not fit while the other three bowlers have been rested.
Nepali Squad
Gyanendra Malla (captain), Sharad Vesawkar (vice-captain), Binod Bhandari, Sagar Pun, Md Arif Sheikh, Mahaboob Alam, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Mahamad Asif Sheikh, Avinash Karn, Sunil Dhamala, Bhuwan Karki, Sushan Bhari, Dipesh Shrestha and Dilip Nath
