Kathmandu, September 2

The CEO of cricket’s world governing ICC David Richardson arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday. The South African is in Nepal three months after the ICC suspended Nepal’s cricket association (CAN) citing government ‘interference in the sport.’

During his visit to Kathmandu, the ICC chief is likely to focus on three important things.

1.

Meet the Prime Minister and Sports Minister

CEO Richardson was planning to come to Nepal in the last week of July this year to meet Nepal’s Prime Minister and Sports Minister. But he postponed his trip to Kathmandu amid reports that the KP Oli government’s days were numbered. The ICC wants to hold dialogue with the new Prime Minister, and PM Prachanda is also keen on meeting ICC representatives. Prime Minister Prachanda wants to propose to the ICC that Nepal’s cricket body be re-organised to take the form of a board (like in India).

2.

Talk to cricket community in Nepal

Richardson, in his recent letter to the National Sports Council, has said the ICC wants to form a  committee under one of its officials to run the game’s administration in Nepal on an interim basis. According to sources, Richardson is likely to ask cricket administrators, former players and representatives of the players’ union to suggest names of people (around six) to sit on the new committee. Sources say CAN (elected) general secretary Ashoknath Pyakurel, former cricketer Pawan Agrawal, former CEO Bhawana Ghimire and former president Binay Raj Pandey are some of the names being considered.

Richardson will also discuss amendments needed in the CAN charter to make the body more autonomous, and on a long-term plan for the development of cricket in Nepal.

3.

Decide the composition of ICC-led committee

The ICC chief will decide, or at least make up his mind, on who will get a place in the committee. He is likely to announce the formation of the interim committee while in Nepal. However, there is a possibility that he decides to wait for a few days, and make the announcement after consulting other ICC officials when he returns to the UAE.