JOIN USThe West Indies on Friday decided to pull out of the series against India midway due to the bitter pay dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and its players.
The decision meant that the fourth one-dayer between India and the West Indies at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium would be the last match of the series.
The move has left the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) “shocked and extremely disappointed.” India will play a five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka between November 1 and 15.
“The WICB has informed the BCCI of its decision to cancel the rest of its ongoing tour to India because of a dispute with its players, and has advised the BCCI that its players will return home immediately. The BCCI is shocked and extremely disappointed at the decision.
The WICB’s inability to resolve internal issues with its players and allowing the same to affect an ongoing bilateral series does not reflect well on any of those involved. The withdrawal gives little thought to the future of the game, the players and the long-standing relations between the BCCI and the WICB,” said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel.
“The BCCI wishes to inform all its stakeholders that this is a unilateral decision taken by the WICB and its players, in spite of several appeals to the WICB to honour its commitment and complete the series. The BCCI will pursue all options available to protect its rights, whilst seeking appropriate action from the ICC to ensure that its interests and those of the game at large will not suffer any damage,” Patel added.
Meanwhile, a release from the WICB stated that they have not taken any decision to cancel the tour. However, later Patel refuted the WICB claim and said that BCCI has convened a special AGM on October 21 to mull the possibility of taking legal action against the WICB.
Patel further hinted that the BCCI would also be considering suing the WICB for withdrawing from the series unilaterally. In fact, the West Indians were not ready to play even the fourth ODI.
However HPCA president and BCCI joint secretary Anurag Thakur told the West Indians in stern language that any such move would completely alienate them.
“Thakur had a chat with the West Indies skipper Dwayne Bravo and some other officials, and told them, ‘If you want to withdraw, then that’s your decision. But I can assure that the HPCA would not play host to the West Indies team any longer’,” said an official attached with the West Indies team.
There were enough indications of the impending storm once the West Indians reached the ground late. The team members also trooped behind skipper Bravo during toss, an unusual practice during the toss time, in a show of support.
The all-rounder suggested something serious was in store when he told commentator Ian Bishop: “My team is standing behind me and it's been a tough tour for us. We don’t want cricket to suffer and we don’t want our fans to suffer. It’s time to make a decision though. Must give credit to my boys for all the fight they’ve put up.”