The Radiant Star

Disconnected thoughts reflecting cricket and events surrounding the game

Cricket has long been a sport with potential but with defeats in key matches earned Nepal a nickname of chokers. The dream of playing World Cup almost forgotten, Nepal hosted World Cricket League Division 5 – a step of the World Cup qualification and won it.

Nepal almost choked again after four comprehensive wins. It did lost to USA in the last league match and hadn’t there was crowd trouble, Nepal was more likely to be out of final.

* * *

Unruly crowd behavior! Well, many called it Kathmandu Riot. We were on the receiving side and members of the country which looked like benefitting from the situation. Whatever I told others – those not present in TU Ground – about the event, accurately, believed that I was trying to cut down badness of the events.

An American journalist who was live covering the game wrote – he felt there was police firing teargas – and everyone believed it [despite the journalist himself writing, later, that it was not true]. And, people seemed to believe 12,000 spectators invaded the ground while nobody entered the ground.

There were many who wrote as if the situation was fully intentional and calculated by spectators [the truth is even ICC was not clear on who reached the final more than half-an-hour after the completion of the match].

* * *

I am not defending what happened at TU.

I felt sorry for Singapore too who looked like suffered most from it.

But I do not agree that Nepal’s cricket should be punished. The situation was under control within 15 minutes, not even a single person was injured, even minor. If there are thousands of people at the ground, there can be minor scuffles – always.

And, ICC is reportedly in a quandary:

As for the ICC, it is in a difficult position. If it fails to act then there is a danger it sets a precedent for crowds to disrupt matches if doing so will benefit their side. Against that, it will not want to stamp down to heavily on a country where cricket has really taken hold.

* * *

And, ICC – the organizer of the event – became irrational a couple of time. First, they wanted media to sign a media accreditation contract that was suited when the event was sold to TV, radio and internet for live coverage. After informal/indirect request yielded nothing, we have to go formally via Nepal Sports Journalists Forum and threaten to boycott their press conference. Then they were ok and look, what coverage the event got, without anyone complaining.

The cricket rule-book say local conditions may apply; and looked like ICC had not understood the application outside the boundary.

Another time: ICC media manager disrupted an interview with Nepal’s coach Roy Dias more than half-an-hour after the conclusion of final and end of prize distribution ceremony telling us that we could only talk to him when they say ‘ok, here you go.’

Totally illogical!

* * *

So far, Nepal had only failed to win two of the tournaments that it has hosted – the 1998 ACC Trophy and 2007 ACC U-15 Trophy when all teams – except two – were disqualified for fielding overage players.

Is there a translation for Ghar ko bagh…?

Right now, the ACC U-16 Elite Cup is going on and hopefully Nepal continue to be tiger at home.

And, hopefully, one day, Nepal will be playing in the World Cup!