The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has been found wanting in its player insurance policies. On the evening of September 13 Lalit Singh Bhandari, the left-arm medium-pacer and a regular cricketer in the Nepali domestic circuit met a serious motorbike accident in Mahendranagar. Bhandari was reportedly rushed to Nisarg Hospital in Dhangadi but due to the limitations at the facility, he was taken to Kohalpur Medical College in Banke District for further treatment. As the news went viral in the social media by ten in the night, thousands of fans wished for his speedy recovery. And some responsible fans, using their social media, instantly demanded the authorities take Bhandari to Kathmandu, the nation’s capital, for proper treatment. The next day, Bhandari was taken to Kathmandu on a chartered helicopter, but the case of Lalit Singh Bhandari shows the lack of health insurance and the use made by crowdfunding campaigns by fans to support their treatments. “CAN is fully committed to coordinate and support Lalit in such hard times”, the president of the Cricket Association of Nepal said, but fans and stakeholders have been asking for a concrete decision on building a proper system. As a result of which, Nepali social media saw #InsurePlayers trending. The fans have once again started crowdfunding campaigns for Lalit Singh Bhandari on behalf of CPAN, but this time, they are also raising their voice against sports administrations for proper insurance policies that would somehow aid cricketers’ families in the times of difficulty. The Cricket Association of Nepal is preparing for their board meeting this week.
Brian Sturgess
