Riding high on the euphoria of Nepal’s first ever appearance at the World Cup, the Cricket Associa-tion of Nepal (CAN), on March 25, offered coach Pubudu Dassanayake a one-year contract. CAN had held out till the very end, only promising to renew the contract at the last moment. Now that the excitement has died down, in a striking betrayal on Tuesday, CAN handed Dassanayake a paltry three-month contract, prompting protests from the national cricket team, who have long been ardent supporters of their Sri Lankan coach. Dassanayake himself appeared dejected, having only been informed of the duplicity hours before departing for the ACC Premier League in Malaysia.
Coach Dassanayake has been a beloved fixture of Nepali cricket ever since he took over from another Sri Lankan, Roy Luke Dias, in 2011. He has led the Nepali cricket team to new heights, beginning with Nepal’s progression from Division 4 to Division 2 on the World Cricket League. His biggest achievement though has been Nepal’s entry into the World Cup and the subsequent performance that won the Nepali team accolades from across the world. Dassanayake’s crucial role in these accomplishments is undeniable, as testified time and again by the national team. Skipper Paras Khadka has been most vocal about Dassanayake’s support and leadership, his vision for Nepali cricket and his master plan to lead Nepal to even greater heights.
CAN seems to have overlooked all of these feats. Officials claim that they were unable to extend the coach’s contract owing to an ongoing investigation into CAN by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority for embezzlement. CAN’s decision, however, seems to have been motivated by a petty desire to exact some form of vengeance on the players for their recent protest against CAN. Several CAN members are suspicious of Dassanayake for the influence he has on the team players and imagine that he had a role to play in their protest. In handing Dassanayake their decision just prior to the ACC Premier League, they have likely shattered his—and by extension, the team’s—morale, which was understandably already quite low. There will only be CAN to blame if the team performs poorly in Malaysia.
In order to mitigate the damage done, CAN must immediately extend the coach’s contract to the term promised earlier. Coach Dassanayake has proved himself and surely deserves to be treated better. Nepali cricket, which is only just gaining ground, will face an unprecedented setback if Dassanayake rejects the trifling three-month offer and quits. If this happens, the chain of responsibility will extend all the way up from CAN to its political masters in the Ministry of Youth and Sports and to the Cabinet. Those same leaders who felicitated and congratulated the Nepali team on their performance at the World Cup must now acknowledge and appreciate Dassanayake’s decisive role as the unsung hero of Nepali cricket.
Ed: This editorial appeared in The Kathmandu Post on 1 May, 2014. The original article can be viewed here