National cricket captain Gyanendra Malla and vice captain Dipendra Singh Airee have been stripped of their duties by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) alleging them of violating the code of conduct.

Issuing a statement on Wednesday, the cricket governing body said that the duo, along with fast bowler Sompal Kami and Kamal Singh Airee, will not be offered central contract for the first six months of 2022 for violating the code of conduct.

"The four will not be given central contract [salary] as suggested by a probe committee formed by CAN for violating the players’ code of conduct," said CAN president Chatur Bahadur Chand.

Star leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has been handed the captain's responsibility, states the release.

Captain Malla and other three had expressed their dissatisfaction at the grading and central contract of national cricketers from April to December in an interview with an online news portal. CAN had then formed a committee to look into the incident and the players were asked for clarification.

The six-member probe committee headed by acting secretary Prashant Bikram Malla recommended action against the four cricketers arguing that the clarification was unsatisfactory.

"The players have signed the code of conduct with CAN but they did not follow it. As per article 3.3.1 of the code, the players should not make any statement to the media in ways to bring the game, ACC, ICC, board or office bearers into disrepute," said Malla.

"We even held discussions with them and gave them chances twice for clarification, but they blamed CAN and never accepted that they were at fault. They could have complained about any issue to the CAN itself before going to the media. But they never came to CAN. The majority members of the board meeting thus decided to punish them," added Malla.

CAN has also decided to start the national team’s closed camp training from December 21 in Pokhara.