BRIDGETOWN: Left fuming by the West Indian cricketers’ mid-series pullout due to a pay dispute with their Board, the BCCI has slapped a damages claim to the tune of Rs. 250 crore (USD 42 million) on the WICB.
West Indies cricket plunged into an unprecedented crisis following the decision of the team to not go ahead with the tour of India following the fourth ODI in Dharamsala. BCCI’s damages claim could bring the bankrupt West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), which is going through its worst internal crisis, down to its knees.
“I have sent a letter to the WICB claiming damages to the tune of Rs. 250 crore (USD 42 million). I have already sent them the letter demanding the compensation for pulling out of the bilateral series despite repeated requests and assurances of helping them out,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told PTI on Saturday.
After the incomplete five-match ODI series, the visitors were scheduled to play in a one-off T20 match at Cuttack followed by Tests at Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
It has been learnt that the BCCI has given WICB about two weeks time to come up with a compensation plan failing which the Caribbean Board will have lawsuit.
“The BCCI calls upon the WICB to formally inform the BCCI, in writing, of the steps it intends to take to compensate the BCCI towards the losses quantified above as well as those losses yet to be quantified by the BCCI in relation to the cancelled WICB tour,” said the letter, signed by Mr. Patel.
It added: “In the event the BCCI does not receive such a proposal in acceptable terms, within a period of 15 days from receipt of this letter, please note that the BCCI has peremptorily instructed its attorneys to initiate steps for recovery of the losses by filing appropriate legal proceedings against the WICB in the appropriate Indian court and you may treat this notice as a formal demand in that regard.”
Patel has sent the letter to WICB president Dave Cameron.
Asked if the WICB, which is virtually bankrupt and is currently one of the poorest cricket boards among the Test playing nations, will be be able to cough up the humongous amount, Mr. Patel said, “This is not BCCI or my lookout to see how the WICB arranges the amount. They have to pay up the amount. Period.”
He added, “When they pulled out of the tour did they seek our permission?”