Nepal has been granted Twenty20 international status by the ICC. The decision was taken at the ICC board at its annual conference in Melbourne on Saturday. Along with Nepal, Netherlands has also been given the status.
The ICC statement reads, “The ICC Board has agreed to grant T20I status to Nepal and the Netherlands after both the countries qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014. With this recognition, the number of associate countries enjoying T20I status climbs to eight.”
Talking to Cricket Nepal, skipper Paras Khadka congratulated everyone on the achievement. “This is a great platform for all of us. Now we should try and maintain the status. It is comparatively easier to get there. Maintaining it is hard job. All of us have to work hard for this.”
Both Nepal and Netherlands had taken part in the 2014 World T20. The other Associates that have T20I status by virtue of having ODI status are Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea and UAE.
With this decision, the number of countries having T20I status reaches 18 (10 test playing nations and eight associate countries).
Meanwhile, the ICC board also confirmed the USA Cricket Association (USACA), and not its rival body the American Cricket Federation, as its recognized member in the USA. Oman Cricket has been made the 38th Associate Member of the ICC. At the same time Brunei has been suspended as an Affiliate while Tonga has been removed as an Affiliate Member for not complying with ICC norms.
It was widely expected that Nepal, along with USA and Zambia, would be given formal warnings at the annual conference. Nepal was to be reprimanded for failing to follow administration statute 2.1, which relates to having a full-time paid administrator. Both were expected to be given one more year to get their affairs in order or face suspension. However, Cricket Association of Nepal had taken out vacancy advertisements for two positions, a chief executive and a finance manager. Both the posts have not been fulfilled yet.