Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) is bracing up to the challenge of preparing grounds for the successful organization of the Under-19 Asia Cup, scheduled for November 8-18 later this year.
After losing out chance to host U-15 Asia Cup last year due to security concerns of the parents of the cricketers of the participating countries, CAN wants to take no chances this time and ensure international cricket for the country’s cricket-mad population. “Internally, we have prepared almost everything to bring the event here,” CAN secretary Laxman Bastola says.
And the latest unilateral truce declared by the rebels has been a welcome relief to the cricket officials. The cease-fire will be in effect until the end of November. “The ceasefire will definitely have positive impact,” Bastola believes.
CAN is preparing two new grounds and renovating an old one in the Kathmandu Valley for the event. Besides Tribhuvan University Ground, wickets are being laid at Tundikhel, Engineering Institute at Lalitpur and Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya at Bhaktapur.
Engineering Institute Ground has been used during earlier two international events held in Nepal – the Second ACC Trophy in 1998 and U-19 Asia Cup in 2001. There used to be two adjacent grounds which now have been merged into one bigger ground.
Tundikhel, a popular venue in the middle of the town, has hosted many domestic tournaments in past on matting wickets but never had a turf pitch. The venue which can draw thousands of spectators is front-runner among the new grounds with pitch grassing and 30-yard grassing along with sloping completed.
“We will complete all the works by the end of the third week of September in all the three new grounds,” CAN vice-president TB Shah who is looking after the ground preparation says.
“When we organized ACC Trophy in 1998, we were novice but we got it alright,” he adds. “Now we are experienced in organizing.” There were doubts as to whether the wickets would be ready in time but CAN has planned to hold U-19 National League during end of October in these venues to ensure complete preparation.
An inspection team of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) consisting of Development Manager Sultan Rana and Development Officer Rumesh Ratnayake is scheduled to visit Nepal next week. Only after their report, Nepal’s status as the host of the event will be confirmed. “We are fully confident because we are working very hard with backing from almost all sectors,” Bastola says.