Arunachal Pradesh’s cricket team finds itself on the brink of forfeiting their Ranji Trophy Plate Group opener against Nagaland. The match, slated for 11 October in Ahmedabad, is clouded by an ongoing dispute between factions within the Arunachal Pradesh Cricket Association. This dispute has led to a legal case currently awaiting a verdict from the Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court.
Recently, Arunachal Pradesh was unable to field their Under-19 side for a Vinoo Mankad Trophy 50-over match against Sikkim in Bhubaneswar. This inability to compete underscores the association’s leadership vacuum, as no decisions regarding team selection can be made at present.
Professional cricketers, contracted to play for the state, are left in uncertainty about whether they should assemble in Ahmedabad for the Ranji Trophy clash. Following the association’s elections in September, Nabam Vivek assumed the role of president, but allegations of electoral misconduct led several district associations to challenge the results in court.
The High Court is yet to deliver a verdict, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unable to intervene by forming an independent selection committee, as the matter remains sub-judice. As BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia explains, “There is a stay order from the court and the BCCI cannot step in. There is no one running the state body. Until the court gives the clearance, we cannot do anything.”
Efforts to reach Vivek, the newly elected president, were unsuccessful.
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, and Sikkim join Nagaland in the group, with Arunachal Pradesh having concluded the previous season at the foot of the Plate table, recording five losses in five games.
