Court verdict forces last-minute change to Meghalaya's Ranji Trophy squad
There has been internal conflict at Meghalaya Cricket Association (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 04 Nov 2026, 10:20 AM• Read time - 2 mins
Meghalaya’s Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season has been left in tatters after their squad for the fourth round of the Plate League was removed and replaced overnight by new players. The sudden shift has come after internal conflict at the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA).
The Meghalaya High Court has ruled in favour of Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) president James Sangma, declaring the original squad selected by the rival Apex Council faction illegal. The court upheld the suspension of secretary Rayonald Kharkamni and invalidated all resolutions and team selections made by the rival faction.
Kharkamni was suspended following allegations that he had failed to address sexual harassment complaints lodged by players of the state’s Under-23 women’s team earlier this year. He subsequently challenged his suspension in court but failed to secure relief, with the High Court upholding the decision.
On November 2, the day Meghalaya faced Nagaland in the latest round of matches in Shillong, members of the previous squad arrived at the venue despite having been informed a day earlier that they would not be permitted to play.
Upon their arrival, match referee Arindam Sarkar met the players and reiterated that they were no longer part of the registered squad. He instructed them to pack their bags and leave the ground, as the BCCI had officially registered a new squad.
According to Cricinfo, the players claim that they practised a day ahead of the match and were assured of participation in the match, only for the court verdict to change things overnight.
Arunachal Pradesh also faced internal conflict
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Cricket Association is not the only northeastern association to have faced off-field turmoil this season. Ahead of the opening round, Arunachal Pradesh was forced to forfeit its match against Nagaland amid an ongoing legal dispute between two factions within the association.
Arunachal Pradesh have since featured in the subsequent rounds of the competition after the BCCI intervened and appointed a three-member committee, chaired by Khairul Majumdar, to select the men's and women's teams for the remainder of the domestic season.