Unpaid T20 WC winnings trigger global cricket storm

IMAGE: Indian fans flock to the Nassau County cricket ground in New  York during the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup tie against Pakistan. Photograph: Andrew Kelly / Reuters

The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) is in talks with several boards which have yet to pay prize money from this year's Twenty20 World Cup to the players, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

India beat South Africa in the final to win the tournament, which was co-hosted by the U.S. and West Indies in June.

The World Cricketers' Association (WCA) said in a statement on Wednesday that some cases of non-payment of the prize money have been paired with "threatening and intimidatory behaviour" by national governing bodies to player groups.

A source told Reuters that the ICC has taken up the issue with five boards of the 20 participating countries to ensure players were paid in a timely manner.

Earlier, WCA CEO Tom Moffat said the global players' body was "extremely concerned... with a number of threats made against players who stand up for themselves and their colleagues in some cricket environments."

"We appreciate the ICC's efforts to date in ensuring the players involved are paid in full and are certain the ICC will continue to take all appropriate steps against any Boards who do not do so and to enforce their terms of participation," Moffat said in the statement.

"Every player in our sport should receive the benefits they are entitled to in full, and should be provided with a safe environment to play, work, and advocate for themselves and their colleagues off the field, through a players' association if they choose."

The WCA released the statement after the board met this week in Singapore for its annual general meeting, where they also launched a Global Player Hardship Fund.

The fund was created to support international players in need "who are not covered by the game's existing domestic frameworks for support."

"We are certain it is going to assist those current and recently retired international cricketers who are presently unsupported and vulnerable," said JP Van Wyk, the WCA's head of welfare and education.