The team was shocked to see the Wai Wai U-19 Regional Selection of Region No 3 taking place at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, where it was scheduled to train. The wicket was also not in good shape for net practice, leaving the team with no other option but to conduct physical training and watch the U-19 selection tournament.[break]
The team returned home on Wednesday after a 10-day-long Delhi tour to prepare for the qualifiers. It was planning to conduct some important strategic training at home which they could not perform in the Indian capital.
The disappointment of skipper Paras Khadka and other members of the team was written on their faces. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had slapped a fine of US$ 84,000 on the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) last month for failing to submit its financial reports on time.
Khadka could not hide his disappointment with the cricket governing body of the nation and expressed his frustration at the TU ground Friday.
Paras Khadka, national team captain
We have been giving our best in training for the last two months and CAN has also been supportive, but not sufficiently. India tour was better than the last tour, but not up to our expectations. Opponents of the last two matches were no match for us.
We have only 10 days before we leave for the UAE and we´ll get to practice for hardly four or five days. In such a scenario, we do not have ground for training and even the wicket is not ready for net practice.
We had informed CAN two days before we left Delhi that we would need training ground from November 1. But we are not getting practice ground before leaving for the T20 and One-Day World Cup Qualifiers.
Though we are doing our best, such incidents will demoralize us. The basic requirements for practice should be fulfilled first.
I think there is communication gap in CAN. I heard it was recently fined Rs 8.3 million for not submitting financial reports on time. If the players do not perform well they will be thrown out of the team. So the office-bearers of CAN should also work properly or resign if they fail to do so.
As far as I know there are more than 30 members in CAN. But I have not seen more than half a dozen members who fulfill their duties properly. The CAN members should be responsible.
There could be drastic change if we qualify for the World Cup. We were in Division 5 once, and now we´re in Division 2. But as a player I have felt no difference in players´ lifestyle or training facilities.
I can feel the coach´s disappointment as well. As a coach he is giving his best. As he is on contract he cannot take every decision. We have reached this level due to our own hard work, thus we don´t need to lie. We are trying to secure our future in cricket. But such incidents discourage players.
This is not the first time we are facing such an incident and we are used to these things. But everyone must know this. Only those who have idea about cricket know that cricket has reached this height due to the efforts of players.
Sanjiv Pandey, member of CAN and High Performance Program
We had extended the Delhi tour until November 5 but returned home early due to technical reasons. We are conducting the U-19 tournament as per our plan of enhancing youth cricket. The team could not train due to this very reason today [Friday]. But the ground will be available for training from tomorrow [Saturday].
The U-19 tournament will be shifted to Bhaktapur from tomorrow. When we asked the ground curator on October 29, he had informed us that it would take at least three days to prepare the wicket.
Though I am also not fully satisfied with the Delhi tour it does not mean we played with weaker sides only. The first four matches we played were against strong teams. It does not mean every team we beat is weak. They have said that our standard has risen.
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