Good news as new Cricket Canada boss dumps selection panel

Article content

Canada’s national team has tumbled down like a boulder down a mountain.

Article content

Canada’s national team has tumbled down like a boulder down a mountain. But now armed with a new coach and yet another captain there is hope this slide will be arrested and the squad will climb back this gruelling mountain back to the top where it rightfully belongs.

Article content

Article content

In an exclusive report last week, this column announced Monty Desai had been roped in as coach and star all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar had rightfully been returned to skipper the team.

A new manager has also been picked, but his name is being kept under wraps until Desai arrives in Toronto next week to take charge of the two crucial World Cricket League qualification matches to be played at King City in June.

With these two important issues put to bed, newly elected Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa has made one significant change that will hopefully put an end to unnecessary interference by the selection panel that has contributed to the country’s downfall.

A bow of the hat to Khosa, who has ruled that from now on the national squad will be selected by the coach, captain and the manager instead of the selection panel.

Article content

Article content

But more on that later, as Cricket Canada finds itself making headlines off the pitch again.

At the World Twenty20 Cup tournament held in India and Sri Lanka earlier this year, captain Dilpreet Bajwa was fingered by the game’s governing body — the International Cricket Council — for bringing the game into disrepute.

Bajwa is being investigated for corruption regarding the World Cup encounter versus New Zealand. Bajwa conceded 15 runs in the fifth over he bowled that included a no-ball — no spinner is normally called for this infraction.

Known cricket bookmaker killed

To make matters worse for Bajwa and Cricket Canada, a bookmaker with links to the game was shot dead in Surrey, B.C., on Monday afternoon. The dead man was identified simply as Sam Canada.

The Times of India reported on Tuesday that “shortly after the killing, a Facebook post in the name of Rohit Godara, a local fugitive gangster, claimed responsibility for the murder.”

Godara said Sam was a “main handler” for his rivals, adding that he was involved in cricket match-fixing and illegal betting operations within Canada. This is a serious claim that hopefully the RCMP will investigate.

Article content

Bajwa’s international career is in the hands of the ICC and it will decide his future.

“We have written to the ICC for clarification on his status and we will take it from there,” Khosa said.

But many players feel that Bajwa should not be in the squad after that shameful episode versus New Zealand.

Meanwhile, the collapse of the national team began at the World Twenty20 Cup finals played in the U.S. and the Caribbean in 2024. After the squad made headlines for dispatching Test nation Ireland in a preliminary match, the selection panel parachuted in players who weren’t even on the squad and ordered coach Pubudu Dassanayake to play them or be fired.

Dassanayake followed orders and, on his return home, was still fired. He subsequently sued the board for wrongful dismissal and this case is still before the court along with a myriad other cases.

A case that has given Khosa and his committee a major headache is the whopping bill for $500,000 it received from high-calibre lawyers based in Toronto who had to make countless trips to Vancouver.

Article content

What is mind-boggling is why are these selectors allowed to flaunt the rules. They obviously have no regard for the country. Instead, their affiliation rests on friendships with certain players and on which particular region of India or Pakistan they come from.

Also, it was brought to my attention on Tuesday that a couple of people with some clout on the national body questioned Bin Saad’s elevation to the captaincy. Unbelievable!

Bin Zafar was the logical choice as he led Canada in 2024 and if it wasn’t for the interference from the selection panel Canada could have advanced to the next round and coach Dassanayake also confirmed he had the horses for the course.

Then, earlier this year, Nicholas Kirton was named captain before the squad departed for the World Cup. Then Cricket Canada dropped a shocker three weeks before the first ball was bowled by switching Bajwa for Kirton and at the time there was a rumour the change was made following threats from Lawrence Bishnoi, a well-known jailed Indian criminal whose members carry out widespread extortion across Canada.

Article content

Hopefully these shootings and threats will not impede Desai’s hopes of helping Canada qualify for the 2027 World Cup (50 overs). Desai coached the national squad a few years back and is aware of the talent available.

“I am honoured to take on this responsibility and thank Cricket Canada for their trust,” Desai said. “My previous experience in Canada has given me a clear understanding of the system’s potential and the passion that exists for the game. Associate cricket is an important driver in the global growth of cricket today, and teams like Nepal and Afghanistan have demonstrated what belief, discipline, and fearlessness can unlock.”

Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis.

Article content