Nepal’s cricket captain Raju Khadka was found watching National League Football at the Dashrath Stadium after his side Region No 4 (Bhairahawa) were defeated by Region No 1 (Biratnagar) in the semifinal of Birthday Cup Cricket tournament last week.
The national champions were defeated not because of their poor form, but ‘hard luck’ did the trick. Khadka’s inability to judge the turn of coin ruined them as the match against Biratnagar was decided on the toss of a coin.
The entire Bhairahawa team did not enter the field but lost because they were not playing a competitive tournament. They were on a tour of the capital to celebrate king’s birthday.
During the mid-rainy season when even playing football is a tough job, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) decided to hold regional-level Birthday Cup Cricket investing more than one hundred thousand rupees. “It’s our responsibility to celebrate king’s birthday but its not a proper time. There is no way one can host a match successfully in this condition,” said a CAN official in the condition of anonymity. “By structure it’s a quality cricket but it would be ideal had we organised it in September,” he added.
Comments were not over. Nepali Sri Lankan coach Roy Dias tagged the tournament ‘Mickey Mouse Cricket’ and a player also said he felt as if he was fishing at the field instead of playing cricket. National-level players excluding the U-19 squad, who were at the closed-camp, were summoned to play the high-profile tournament but the organisation of the match looked like a mere formality. No more than 25 overs were bowled in any innings. Interestingly, a couple of matches started from 3:00 PM.
“Its impossible to play cricket in these conditions,” Nepali international vice-captain Binod Das told The Kathmandu Post. According to Das, playing at the slippery condition might damage the entire career of a cricketer. “If we break our ankle, it would cost our entire investment in cricket, the organisers should realise it,” he added.
CAN vice-president and tournament’s coordinator Shreeniwas Rana also admitted about the improper timing. “In fact, it’s not our decision to conduct Birthday Cup cricket at this time, we just followed National Sports Council’s ruling,” he said. The country’s sports ruling body NSC had directed all its 42 member associations to organise sporting events to mark King Gyanendra’s 57th birthday.
“From next time, we will organise Birthday Cup in April/May and distribute prizes on the occasion of King’s birthday,” he added. He added that the association would inform the problems to the council in advance.
In contrast, NSC speaker Ramesh Khanal quashed the accusation of ‘ruling’. “How is it possible since All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) is organising Birthday Cup in September,” Khanal defended. “The decision to hold the tournament was approved following CAN board meeting,” he added.
According to Khanal, the council just requested affiliated associations to celebrate king’s birthday. “They are free to conduct it anytime or leave it on their own will,” Khanal added.