Nepal's participation in the ICC Trophy, due to start in Toronto, Canada, next Thursday, is likely to be decided in the next 24 hours.

Cricket Association of Nepal president, Mr. Jai Kumar Shah, said the situation regarding four players refused entrance visas by the Canadian Government, was likely to become known sometime this weekend.

The captain, Raju Khadku, is one of the players in question. The team was due to leave Nepal for Toronto today (Saturday).

While the logistics of calling up replacements in time may have demanded it anyway, Mr Shah said Nepal would not play in Canada without the four players.

Should Nepal withdraw, it would leave the Second Division draw of the qualifying tournament for the 2003 World Cup lopsided, with four teams in Group A and six in Group B. It is not known whether the draw would be revised at this late stage should that eventuate.

This is after confirmation from Simone Gambino, President of the Italian Cricket Association, that Italy has withdrawn from the tournament, following the International Cricket Council's decision to rule four players of the Italian squad ineligible.

Lancashire all-rounder, Joe Scuderi, and Peter Di Venuto, the brother of former Australian One Day International player, Michael, were among the four.

Dr. Gambino said the Italian Foreign Ministry would advise the ICC that the ICA would have acted in contravention of Italian law had it not included the four players in its squad.

© CricInfo/ Tony Munro