Pokhara- The Kaski Cricket Association (KCA) has slammed a lengthy ban of three years against ex-national player Dipesh Khatri after the fellow criticized the association publicly saying KCA biased the district selection of players. This also is the longest ban any Nepal Player has ever faced in the domestic circuit. In 2013, Prassana Shakya, a domestic player from Kathmandu was handed a six months ban for misbehaving with the umpires.
A letter sent by KCA to the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) reads, “Deepesh Khatri, a player and President of Macchapucchre Cricket Club, has been banned for three years for speaking to media against KDCA selection in the District Cricket League held from November 29 to December 6. He refused to play for Pokhara in the Regional Selection for Region No 8 (Pokhara) despite being in the team.”
The dispute occurred after KCA excluded Raju Gurung, a player of Manchhapuchre Cricket Club (MCA), who also took six wickets in the selection tournament that MCA had won.
On the issue, Dipendra Chand, a selector in the KDCA, said the claims made by Khatri were baseless. “The KDCA has never been biased over selections,” said Chand. “The guy (Raju Gurung of Macchapuchhre) whom he wants to see in the district team is a spinner and there is no logic in including seven or eight spinners in a team. Gurung has been beaten by his own club’s cricketer in the selection race. How can this be favoritism?”
Meanwhile, Khatri said that he was expecting the consequence. He is firm on his decision and doesn’t think he has done anything wrong.
“I have been ‘rewarded’ for taking a stand against something that was wrong. The KDCA favors the players and clubs that are close to them and doesn’t give space to others on a merit basis,” Khatri illustrated.
Khatri was a bright prospect for the Nepal Cricket team when he was young. He played for the U-19 team during the 2004 U-19 world cup. Later, in 2007, he also made it to the national team for the ACC T20 Cup 2007 but didn’t get to play a single match.
With inputs from The Kathmandu Post.
