The lease for the Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground to the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) officially ends on May 14. For nearly 30 years, the university has allowed CAN to use this land for matches. Now, the university administration has decided not to renew the old agreement, leading to disagreements between sports fans and higher education leaders.

The primary mission of any university is to provide an environment conducive to learning. For a long time, the academic activities on the TU campus have suffered due to the cricket matches. The large crowds and loud noise make it difficult for students to focus on their studies. Security protocols and traffic also cause major disruptions to daily campus life.

Last year alone, the state invested Rs430 million to install floodlights in the stadium. Another Rs420 million went into building new stands. This brings the total recent investment to Rs850 million of taxpayer money. Because of this massive spending, the stadium cannot be simply abandoned or removed. The university has clarified that it does not plan to destroy the facility. The goal is to find a better way to manage it.

A sustainable solution exists within the technology already installed. The floodlights allow for matches to be played at night. If matches happen in the evenings, there will be no conflict with daytime classes. The university has also suggested that games can take place on weekends or during holidays when students are not on campus. This shift in the schedule would protect the peace of the classroom while allowing the stadium to function. It makes the most of the expensive lighting system that the taxpayers funded.

The government must take responsibility for the lack of alternative venues. The nation has relied on the Kirtipur ground for too long because other projects are moving slowly. The stadium at Mulpani must be finished as soon as possible. The state should speed up the construction. If a full-featured stadium is built at Mulpani, the pressure on TU will decrease.

In the short term, a new committee is working on a plan to navigate the dilemma. It needs to create a long-term vision that puts education first. There are international matches scheduled to start right as the lease ends. Teams from the USA and Scotland are arriving for the ICC CWC League 2. The university has been generous in saying these matches will not be affected by the current dispute. This show of good faith should be the foundation for a new and fair agreement.

A formal contract must be written to cover all aspects of the use of the stadium, defining how the income from the matches will be shared. The university deserves a fair share of the revenue. There must also be clear rules about security and cleaning after big events. If the government plans to spend millions more on a second phase of stadium expansion, it must have a settled legal deal with the university first. No more public money should be spent on land that is tied up in legal uncertainty.

The current conflict is a chance to build a better system. The university is right to stand up for the students. The fans are right to want to save the favourite ground of the nation. By adopting a night match model and finishing the Mulpani project, the country can satisfy both needs. The university must remain the intellectual heart of the nation. Cricket can continue to thrive at Kirtipur if the association respects the academic calendar. Cooperation is the only way to ensure that both the students and the sports fans have a bright future. The leadership of the university and the government must now finalise a deal that respects both the classroom and the cricket pitch.