Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Nepal T20 League, a franchise cricket tournament, is currently being held at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Six teams are participating in the event. As the round-robin games come to an end, the playoff is what everybody should have been talking about. However, instead of focusing on the competition and the performances of the players, the league has come under scrutiny due to ethical and legal issues.
These issues started before the league even began, when the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) brought in an Indian company – Seven3Sports – as the organizing partner without going through a proper bidding process and without obtaining permission from the government. The selection of franchises, player drafts, auctions, and other aspects of the league were also conducted in a secretive and non-transparent manner. It has been discovered that even the labor approval for foreign players coming to Kathmandu to participate in the league had not been obtained.
The controversy surrounding the Nepal T20 League, which has been labeled the official T20 League of Nepal, escalated to a new level on Tuesday. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of Nepal Police has launched an investigation into the league over suspicions of match-fixing and betting. The Metropolitan Police Range Kirtipur has arrested three people, including an Indian citizen, on suspicion of betting. However, police have said that the three individuals have no connection to the organizers, partners, or participating teams.
Earlier on the day, Gyanendra Malla, the captain of Kathmandu Knights, one of the six franchises in the league, revealed that some players of his team have been approached by match-fixers. Malla stated that he immediately reported the incident to the anti-corruption unit of the tournament.
Similarly, Sachin Timilsina, who had been commentating on the league, also claimed to have witnessed suspicious activity in the league. In a video posted on his Facebook page, Timilsina said he saw “activities to fix the matches”.
There were reports on Tuesday that the games in the Nepal T20 League had come to a halt because the players were refusing to play due to non-payment of salary. As a result, the match between the Kathmandu Knights and the Biratnagar Super Kings started late.
There were reports on Tuesday that the games in the Nepal T20 League had come to a halt because the players were refusing to play due to non-payment of salary.
According to the agreement signed with the franchise teams, the players were supposed to receive 40% of their salary before the start of the league, and they demanded that this amount be released immediately. The players returned to the field only after the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) assured them that their salaries would be paid.
What makes this league suspicious is the fact that there is limited information available about the ownership of the teams participating in the Nepal T20 League. Media reports claimed Tuesday Jatin Ahluwalia, the head of Seven3Sports, had gone out of contact. This news further fueled the controversy surrounding the league. Later on the day, Ahluwalia stated in an interview with a news portal that he was in India and would return to Nepal within a few days.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), which has previously received a suspension from the International Cricket Council (ICC), is once again facing difficulties as the controversy surrounding the Nepal T20 League continues to escalate. CAN’s working committee, led by Chatur Bahadur Chand, has been consistently embroiled in controversy.
The national team’s underwhelming performance, frequent coaching changes, and the potential loss of ODI status were already spreading negativity in Nepali cricket. The latest controversy surrounding the Nepal T20 League has only exacerbated these issues and has raised concerns that the league may have made Nepali cricket a hub for betting and fixing. All of these factors are likely to make things even more challenging for Nepali cricket.
