Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) decided to provide a monthly allowance to national cricketers.
Executive committee meeting of CAN on Thursday decided to provide Rs 5,000 (nearly USD 65) every month to cricketers of the national team.
According to CAN, this provision will continue for at least another six months.
“After six months, we may change the provision of allowances on the basis of individual performances and CAN´s financial status,” reads a press release issued by CAN.
“We, generally, refer to those 14 players included in the national team for a tournament as a team,” said CAN General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakurel.
“However, we are flexible on the criterion and we can add some players into the list if we find their contributions to the national team is important,” he added.
Pyakurel said that CAN will start paying players from this month onward.
“Our technical committee is working on the details and looking at the possibility of upgrading this facility. As per now, we are planning to revise it every six months,” he said.
“The basic idea is that we should give something to the players as a cricket board,” he added.
National cricketers, led by Captain Paras Khadka, had been asking for financial support with CAN since last year. However, then CAN executive committee led by Binay Raj Pandey had not taken any concrete decision on the matter.
National skipper Khadka applauded CAN´s decision.
“CAN has taken a good step,” said Khadka. “We have talked with the newly appointed president about a central contract system. Probably, CAN took the decision to provide allowances only since it has no time to introduce grading system of players at present. However, the president has assured us of introducing contract system and we are optimistic,” he added.
Meanwhile, CAN has decided to purchase a bus for the convenience of the players and a mechanized roller machine for regular maintenance of cricket grounds.
Selectors retain duty
CAN has asked the national selection committee headed by Bijay Sharma to complete the selection duty for the upcoming ACC Twenty20 Cup to be held in Kathmandu on the first week of December.
“The selection committee´s tenure ended after National Sports Council (NSC) formed a new executive committee of CAN on October 26, but we are extending the tenure of the selection committee,” said the general secretary of CAN.
“We had stopped visiting training camps after the NSC´s decision but the new committee has asked us to carry on as usual. For now, we´ll continue the duty,” said Chief Selector Sharma.
The selection committee includes former national team captain Raju Khadka and Damodar Gautam.