KATHMANDU, JULY 18
The Cricket Association of Nepal today revealed six franchise teams of the NepalT20, the official premier league of the country.
The CAN announced four teams - Janakpur Royals, Biratnagar Superkings, Lumbini All Stars and Kantipur Capital - also revealed their owners, while two franchises - one each from Farwest and Pokhara - will be made public later.
According to the CAN, Janakpur Royals are owned by Gouri Shankar Dhamani of Goldsports Pvt Ltd of India, while Biratnagar Superkings belong to Vikram Yadav of Diamond Digicap Pvt Ltd of India.
Likewise, Sanjay Sharma of the United States of America-based All Star Sports is the owner of Lumbini All Stars, while Kantipur Media Group CEO Mahesh Swar is the owner of Kantipur Capital.
"We will announce the names and owners of the two remaining teams in due course as they could not make it to the announcement ceremony today," said CAN Acting Secretary and NepalT20 Governing Council Convenor Prashant Bikram Malla. "We had opened bids for interested candidates and the teams were selected on merit basis," he added, without revealing the amounts.
Asked about the controversial clause of arbitration in New Delhi, Malla said the place was selected on mutual understanding between the CAN and Strategic and Commercial partner, Seven- 3Sports.
"It's not a big matter. Arbitration can be done in any city across the globe. Due to financial and other viabilities, we agreed to New Delhi as suggested by Seven- 3Sports," he added.
Governing Council Member Ashok Malhotra said the NepalT20 would eventually help in raising the standard of Nepali cricket. "Local players will get maximum opportunities to play and they also get chances to learn from foreign players, which will help them in their thought process," Malhotra said. "Nepali cricket is going towards right direction and the NepalT20 will help the players in getting to shape. It will definitely help Nepali cricket and players improve in long run."
CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand clarified that the association was free to organise its own premier league and monitor other events organised by private sector.
"We have not stopped any one from organising cricketing activities.
The board has made a decision to allow private sector to organise regional level tournament and we are ready to facilitate them," said Chand when asked about the future of other premier leagues.
Chand also said the Supreme Court had never asked them to stall the process of organising the NepalT20. "The Supreme Court had sought clarification from CAN and we have already sent in our answers," said Chand. "We have moved far ahead regarding the NepalT20 and we cannot stop it now," he added.
CAN President Chand also criticised six board members who submitted memorandum to National Sports Council to stop the NepalT20.
"All 18 members present at the board meeting have signed in favour of NepalT20 and the proposal was later unanimously approved by the annual general assembly," he said. "I am shocked about their action as I have not been able to understand what led them to oppose the NepalT20," he said.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 19, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
