Kathmandu, June 26: A 16-member Nepali cricket team is boarding a British Airways flight to London from New Delhi Wednesday morning after the Canadian embassy in the Indian capital Monday granted visas to four replacement players to play in the 24 nation ICC cricket tournament in Toronto from Thursday, Vice President of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Promod Upadhaya said.
The Canadian embassy granted visas to four replacement players after refusing visas to four players first selected in the squad including team captain, Raju Khadka, last week.
Nepal’s participation was uncertain in the tournament after the visa rejection probably on grounds that the players would stay back in Canada after the competition.
The team consists of 14 players, two officials and one umpire who has already left for Canada. The embassy granted visas to four players Monday after the intervention of senior Canadian government and ICC officials in London.
Replacement players Paban Agrawal, Durga Raj Sen, Sandip Shrestha and Nabin Ghimere got visas for participation in the tournament aimed to popularize cricket in non test playing states.
Nepal has sought re-schedule its match with Namibia Thursday, Upadhaya said.