Salary Issue delays Nepal T-20 Cricket League match

Published On: January 4, 2023 08:01 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Jan 4: The much-hyped Nepal T-20 Cricket League, the official tournament recognized by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), is currently underway in Kathmandu. From foreign players to Nepali national and international players are participating in the league.

The league that kicked off on December 24 will have a total of 36 matches and will conclude on January 11. However, the 21st match on Tuesday was delayed by several hours after the players protested demanding wages.

Kathmandu Knights Captain Gyanendra Malla said that no player of his team has received the match fee. The players protested before the start of the match between Kathmandu Knights and Biratnagar Super Kings on Tuesday. The match could not start at the scheduled time after the players protested saying that they were not getting paid. The players agreed to play after the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) assured the players to provide the wages.

Many questions have been raised during the Nepal T20 League as the much awaited-tournament is being held at the Tribhuvan University in Kirtipur .

CAN had banned all other T20 franchises in Nepal to hold this league on the pretext that a country can have only one official T20 league recognized by the cricket governing body.

CAN had entrusted an Indian company Seven Three Sports to organize the league.

Prior to the resumption of Tuesday's game, CAN officials had assured the players and asked them to enter the field. Captain Gyanendra Malla said that he had raised the salary issue with CAN in front of the team management and the organizers and agreed to play after their assurance that the salary would be provided by Wednesday.

Rohit Kumar Paudel, the captain of Biratnagar and Nepali national team, also said that CAN has made a commitment to release the full salary of all the players including foreign players by Wednesday.

Many questions about the tournament have started to arise due to the dissatisfaction among foreign players returning home ahead of schedule due to clashes with the organisers.