NEW DELHI, India, CMC – Factions of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) want pressure brought to bear on the West Indies Cricket Board for its lack of support in the recent vote regarding the International Cricket Council’s new governance structure and revenue sharing model.
At an ICC Board meeting in Dubai last month, the BCCI found itself standing alone as nine other countries voted in support of the governance structure. On the contentious revenue sharing model, India found support only from the Sri Lankan Board, as they lost 8-2 on vote.
Sections of the BCCI now want joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary to speak to WICB president Dave Cameron about the recent ICC votes, as there is a belief the Caribbean board was not held accountable enough for the decision of the one-day side to abruptly abandon the tour here three years ago.
“We let the West Indies Cricket Board go scot-free back in 2014 after they pulled out midway,” a senior BCCI official, who requested anonymity, told the Press Trust of India.
“We claimed damages of US$42 million but that was also waived by Shashank Manohar
after he became the BCCI president for the second time. Now they (WICB) have also voted against us at ICC Board. We need to look at these aspects.”
The BCCI suspended bilateral ties with West Indies and also lodged the multi-million dollar claim against the WICB back in November, 2014, after the team walked off the tour earlier the same month following the fourth ODI, stemming from a players pay dispute with the board.
However, the matter was settled amicably following talks between the WICB and the new Manohar-led BCCI, with the entities agreeing future bilateral tours.
In fact, only yesterday, the BCCI confirmed India’s six-match limited tour of the Caribbean starting next month, but the senior BCCI official said the only entity benefitting from the arrangement was the WICB.
“There has to be some discussions with Cameron and WICB as to what their viewpoint is on governance,” the official continued.
“In any case, it’s the WICB which gains if we go [on the tour]. Before the ICC Annual Conference, it would be great if Amitabh speaks to their cricket board.”
India toured the Caribbean last year for four Tests and also played West Indies in a two-match Twenty20 series in Florida.
