PORT OF SPAIN – Fresh controversy appears to be brewing between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the regional squad preparing to participate in the T20 World Cup in India, media reports in Trinidad and Tobago suggest.
The players, captained by all-rounder Darren Sammy, are objecting to a 75 per cent pay cut imposed by the WICB ahead of the World Cup, set to begin on March 8, the Trinidad and Tobago-based radio station, I 95.5 FM, has reported.
Sammy has reportedly written to the WICB requesting an urgent meeting by as a February 14, Valentine’s Day deadline for the players to sign the contract looms.
The radio report quoted from Sammy’s letter to the WICB: “We want to propose that we participate in the T20 World Cup 2016 under the same conditions that we have represented the West Indies in previous tournaments”.
Sammy has been quoted as saying that the West Indies players will each earn US$21 000 if they participate compared with US $135 000 received from the last tournament.
WICB will receive US eight million dollars for the team’s participation and more if they advance.
Only one player on the West Indies team is said to be represented by the West Indies Players Association (WIPA). Eleven of the players on the squad were part of the West Indies team that won the T20 World Cup in 2012 in Sri Lanka.
The fresh controversy between WICB and the T20 squad is brewing about a year and a half after the regional squad called off their tour of India abruptly over a long-standing payment structure dispute. (CMC)
