Kathmandu, May 2

Member Secretary of National Sports Council Keshab Kumar Bista today claimed government interference was not the reason behind the suspension of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) by International Cricket Council (ICC).

ICC had suspended the membership of CAN on April 26 after the board meeting reached the conclusion of government interference in Nepali cricket.

The world governing body had accused the NSC of leading Nepali cricket leadership into vacuum and said the suspension would remain “until such time as the CAN becomes free of government interference and is properly structured to begin exploiting the tremendous cricket talent and opportunities that exist in Nepal.”

The NSC had formed an ad hoc committee led by Ramesh Silwal in March, refusing to give recognition to the elected committee under Chatur Bahadur Chand. NSC Member Secretary Bista had claimed of taking ICC consent before forming the ad hoc committee. Chand-led faction then moved the Supreme Court against NSC decision and the apex court has sent the case to full bench hearing for May 22.

Bista said he was ready to start from the scratch and asked the Chand-led committee to withdraw the court case and come for discussion. “All the problems came after they went to the court and we are not in position to do anything,” said Bista. “So, we want to appeal them to come for discussion,” he added.

Bista also claimed that the ICC banned CAN membership only because of the court case. “If they take the case back, I am ready to dissolve the ad hoc committee. We can make a fresh start and work for the

development of cricket,” Bista said.

Member Secretary Bista also claimed that he was forced to stop the election of the CAN after the then president Tanka Angbuhang requested the NSC of doing so. “We instructed the CAN to hold elections only after solving the issues but a faction turned deaf ears,” he added.