Kathmandu, January 29
The International Cricket Council has hinted that it may lift the suspension imposed on Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) if an advisory committee formed to solve problems facing the national cricket agrees to amend CAN’s new statute.
ICC Vice-Chairman Imran Hamid Khwaja says the international cricket governing body may end the nearly three-year-long suspension from its general assembly scheduled for June this year if the statue is amended before that. Khwaja is currently in Nepal in a bid to end the stalemate.
CAN’s general assembly has already enrosed the draft statute prepared by the advisory committee with some amendments, but the ICC has objected to some of its key provisions and continued the suspension.
Some members of the advisory committee have also expressed their dissent over the amendments.
A source privy to recent discussions says the ICC has told the advisory committee to remove the provision of participation of seven government representatives in the CAN election as their involvement might result in the political interference.
The statute has a provision that 17 members of CAN elected from a disputed general assembly three years ago can directly participate in the next election. The ICC has objected to this provision too.
“We will decide within a couple of days which provisions need to be amended and the general assembly will be called for decision,” an advisory committee member informs.
The International Cricket Council suspended CAN’s membership in April 2015 citing government intervention in the administration of the sport. It formed an advisory committee to draft the statute.
