The impending expiry of the lease agreement of the TU Cricket Ground has triggered frenzied discussions on the future of a venue known as the ‘home of Nepali cricket’.

Tribhuvan University officials have, on multiple instances, clarified that they do not want to extend the lease agreement. The university reiterated it through a letter to CAN on Sunday.

The governing body of Nepali cricket was leased kitta no 32’s 76-4-3-0 ropanis of land by the university for the first time on May 2, 1997.

According to the TU’s Land and Assets Investigation Committee’s report in 2024, another agreement was signed between the two sides on April 14, 2002. That agreement is ending on May 14.

Kantipur TV reported on Sunday that a letter to CAN, which was signed by TU’s General Administration Division head Raj Bahadur Rai, states that TU will not extend the agreement.

The TU had given a 35-day ultimatum to individuals, companies and organisations on April 17 to clear and hand over the encroached lands.

The letter alongside TU’s ultimatum notice has created a buzz on social media, with cricket fans saying that the home of Nepali cricket should not be destroyed. The university and its officials were at the receiving end of the criticism.

The cricket ground has undergone some major upgrades of late. The government invested Rs430 million to install floodlights last year and Rs420 million to construct grandstands. There are plans to invest millions more.

However, the university, on Monday, informed that it was not planning to remove or destroy the cricket stadium.

“The cricket stadium is an asset of the university,” Kedar Prasad Rijal, TU’s registrar, said in an interview with Kantipur TV on Monday afternoon. “The stadium has come into life after investment from the government, through the taxpayers’ money. We have never thought of destroying it. But we are in utmost need of removing other illegal encroachments.”

Rijal stressed that the university would not extend the lease agreement with CAN.

“If we have to reach an agreement regarding the cricket ground, it will be with the government, not CAN,” Rijal said. “We want the stadium to operate, but it should not, at any cost, disturb the academic sector of the university.”

According to Rijal, the university sees the need for a modality that will allow the stadium to host cricket matches without affecting the study of the university students.

“The issue was seriously discussed at the meeting in the chamber of the Minister for Education, Science and Technology on Monday morning,” Rijal said. “We have decided to create a committee, which will comprise TU and government officials. The committee will hold thorough discussions with stakeholders and experts to find a long-term vision to operate the stadium by keeping education as the first priority.”

Until then, TU also needs a temporary solution to the cricket ground.

“As soon as the lease agreement ends, it will be the university’s duty to preserve the stadium,” Rijal said. “And the university will invest in it as it is our asset too. But concerns remain over the income from the matches, security and other aspects when the matches are held after the end of the lease agreement.”

Rijal argued that a long-term vision was required since the government was planning to spend millions more in the second phase expansion of the stadium.

Even if CAN and TU are at loggerheads over lease expansion, they are on the same page regarding one issue: to utilise the grounds in Mulpani to create a full-fledged stadium.

“The big stadium that CAN, government and cricket fans want could be constructed in Mulpani,” Rijal said. “I believe CAN has forwarded the plan to the state.”

CAN has asked the government, through the National Sports Council, to transfer the ownership of Lower Mulpani. “We have investors ready to transform Lower Mulpani into a quality cricket stadium,” CAN’s Secretary Paras Khadka said in January.

Meanwhile, TU officials have said that they would have no issue when cricket matches are hosted at the university ground during off days, off hours and at night. “We just want the matches not to affect regular academic activities at the university,” Rijal said.

Rijal also said that the university would not let the ongoing issues affect the matches that have been scheduled after the end of the lease agreement.

The USA and Scotland are playing on May 14, the end date of the lease agreement, in the ICC CWC League 2. It will be followed by Nepal vs USA, Nepal vs Scotland, Scotland vs USA and Nepal vs USA on May 16, 18, 20 and 22, respectively.

“We will find out a win-win modality regarding the stadium,” Rijal said. “It will continue to host matches, but it will not affect the university activities.”