Paras Khadka: CAN directly decides captaincy but does not select players

Cricket Association of Nepal secretary Paras Khadka has rejected suggestions that CAN interferes in national team selection, drawing a distinction between appointing a captain and selecting players.

Speaking to Kantipur TV, Khadka said captaincy appointments require a direct decision from the cricket board. Squad selection, however, remains the responsibility of the selection committee working with the coach and captain.

"When it comes to changing the captain, the decision has to come through the board," Khadka said. "It is not interference in the captaincy change; the cricket association directly makes that decision."

Khadka said CAN considered feedback from the selection committee, cricket operations department, coaches, managers, support staff and players before replacing Rohit Paudel with Sandeep Lamichhane as Nepal's ODI captain.

He added that the selectors had been given a full mandate to choose national squads. Following LB Chhetri's resignation, the remaining members continued coordinating with the captain and head coach, he said.

Khadka maintained that board officials had not dictated individual player selections during either his playing career or his time in administration.

"The selection committee coordinates with the captain and coach to select the Nepal cricket team," he said. "The board does not decide who should or should not be in the playing team."

Khadka said Lamichhane and the head coach would now work with the selectors to identify the players best suited to Nepal’s 50-over side. Dipendra Singh Airee will have a similar role with the T20I team.

He said the use of different captains could introduce two perspectives into selection and open opportunities for a larger group of players.