Arunachal Pradesh will not field a team in the 2026-27 Vinoo Mankad Trophy after an ongoing legal dispute left the state cricket association unable to complete team selection and preparations.
The side was scheduled to open its Plate Group campaign against Sikkim at the KIIT Cricket Stadium in Bhubaneswar, but the fixture will now go to the opposition. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the state would not participate in some age-group tournaments because of the dispute.
Why the Team Cannot Play
Six district associations — Lower Siang, Upper Subansiri, Kamle, Tawang, West Siang and Papum Pare — challenged the conduct of the Arunachal Cricket Association’s state executive elections, alleging violations of rules and procedures. They disputed the election of president Nabam Vivek and other office-bearers and demanded a fresh election.
The Gauhati High Court’s Itanagar Bench heard the matter, but its interim stay on the functioning of the association remains in place. Saikia said the court order prevented the association from handling team selection and preparations for the tournament.
Forfeiture Under BCCI Rules
Arunachal Pradesh’s absence will result in a forfeit, with the scheduled opponents awarded the match under BCCI playing conditions. The rules allow the BCCI match referee to award the match to the opposition if a team is unable to play.
The withdrawal also affects the team’s fixture against Nagaland, with points set to go to the opponents under the competition rules.
Ranji Trophy Campaign in Doubt
The administrative crisis could also affect the state’s Ranji Trophy campaign, which is scheduled to begin with a match against Nagaland at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Saikia admitted there were concerns over whether Arunachal Pradesh would be able to field a side for the opening match.
The BCCI has previously appointed committees to oversee cricketing operations in state associations such as Bihar, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir after court directions. However, Saikia said the board cannot take similar action in Arunachal Pradesh while the matter remains before the court and no administrator has been appointed.
Arunachal Pradesh, along with other northeastern states, became part of BCCI-affiliated domestic tournaments in 2018 after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators granted them full membership.
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