Arunachal cricket campaign faces legal setback

New Delhi Arunachal Pradesh’s cricketing campaign has been thrown into uncertainty after an ongoing legal dispute within the Arunachal Cricket Association (ACA) left the state unable to field teams in national competitions. The state was scheduled to begin its Vinoo Mankad Trophy campaign against Sikkim in the Plate Group at the KIIT Cricket Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. However, the team could not be constituted because of an interim stay order on the functioning of the state association. As a result, Arunachal Pradesh is set to forfeit the match, with Sikkim likely to receive full points under BCCI playing conditions. The dispute began after six district associations — Lower Siang, Upper Subansiri, Kamle, Tawang, West Siang and Papum Pare — alleged irregularities in the ACA elections and demanded fresh polls. The matter reached the Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court, which subsequently stayed the functioning of the association. The crisis has also affected the U-19 Women’s T20 Trophy and now threatens Arunachal Pradesh’s participation in the Ranji Trophy, which begins on October 11. The state is scheduled to face Nagaland in its opening Plate Group match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Sources following the developments said multiple factions were claiming control of the ACA, making it impossible for the BCCI to establish contact with an authorised state representative. The situation has raised serious concerns about the future of young cricketers. Players who train throughout the year are now missing opportunities to represent their state at the national level. Arunachal Pradesh received full BCCI membership in 2018 along with other Northeastern states. The current administrative deadlock, however, has placed its entire domestic season at risk.