Kathmandu, May 31

The new national cricket team coach of Nepal, Umesh Patwal got an unpleasant welcome today after National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista turned cold shoulder towards the Indian coach.

Bista and Patwal were supposed to sign a contract at 5:30PM followed by a press conference but the Member Secretary unilaterally cancelled his programme without giving any valid reason. “The programme was set for today following Member Secretary’s approval and he was in contact until 4:30PM,” said COO of Cricket Association of Nepal Chhumbi Lama.

“But all of a sudden, he stopped answering the calls and the contract signing had to be cancelled,” he added. “Member Secretary asked us to invite NSC Treasurer Sailesh Karmacharya and head coach Jagat Tamatta in the programme. We requested Karmacharya to attend the programme but he too did not come,” said Lama. “In fact, it was the Member Secretary who wanted to sign the contract and unveil Patwal as the new coach of the national team.”

Patwal, the former Afghanistan national team coach and batting consultant of Nepal during the One Day International and Twenty20 International series against the UAE, arrived here this afternoon for the programme and he is scheduled to leave on Sunday.

After removing the backdrop of the signing ceremony, skipper Paras Khadka introduced Patwal as the new national team coach to the media. Patwal, who was selected by the International Cricket Council as Nepal’s coach, said his primary target would be to lead Nepal to the 2023 World Cup. The ICC has been directly looking after Nepali cricket after suspending the membership of Cricket Association of Nepal four years ago.