Cricketers to make renewed efforts to get Canadian visas

June 23, 2001
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Kathmandu, June 23: Four Nepali cricketers, including team captain Raju Khadka, will fly to New Delhi Sunday to make a second bid to get Canadian visas to participate in the 24 nation International Cricket Council (ICC) Trophy tournament beginning Thursday in Toronto, an official of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) said Saturday. They will hopefully get the visas Monday when office re-opens after the week-end.

Nepal is scheduled to meet Namibia its first match of the tournament on the opening day of the tournament to popularize the sport world-wide beyond limited test playing nations. Dejected Kush Gurung, Birendra Shah and Raj Kumar Pradhan flew back to the capital this week from the Indian capital after being denied visas by the Canadian embassy, officials of CAN said. “I am hopeful the four members will get their visas. I received a fax from our two senior officials in London today and talked with them over telephone yesterday night. They have raised the issue with the ICC in London,” said Pramod Kumar Upadhaya, Vice President of CAN. “I understand other countries from Asia and Africa have also been denied visas. The action is inexplicable,” Upadhaya told nepalnews. The ICC may have taken up the visa issue with the Canadian government, one cricket official said.

Nepal was scheduled to play friendly matches with Bermuda and Ireland on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the tournament. The Canadian embassy issued visas for only 10 players and three officials when a cricket team consists of minimum 11 players. Nepal cannot participate in the tournament if the remaining members are denied visas. Newspaper speculated Saturday visas were denied for fear that players might stay back in Canada after the tournament; Canadian officials were not available for comment. Canada has a co-operation in Kathmandu and not a full-fledged embassy.