The West Indies cut short their tour last Friday because of an internal pay dispute, even though the fifth ODI, a T20 match and three Tests still remained to be played.
India retaliated by cancelling a tour scheduled for February and March 2016 to play three Tests, five one-dayers and a T20.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), one of the richest bodies in world cricket, also said it would ‘initiate legal proceedings’ against the West Indies but gave no details.
“All bilateral tours between the BCCI and the WICB [West Indies Cricket Board] stand suspended,” said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel in a statement yesterday.
India’s away tours usually generate huge sponsorship money for the host nation due to the country’s large cricket-viewing population.
“The WICB is caught between the devil and the deep sea,” said popular TV commentator Harsha Bhogle. “If India don’t tour, they [the WICB] won’t get the revenue needed to implement the agreement over which they had the dispute.”
Veteran Caribbean cricket journalist Tony Cozier warned that it would be disastrous for the Islands if India cancelled future tours.
“With its purchase of broadcast rights, ground perimeter advertising and sponsorship by its big corporations, India in the Caribbean brings more revenue to the WICB than any other tour,” wrote Cozier.
India’s cricket chiefs had warned of ‘serious action’ against the West Indies for abandoning their tour. Yesterday’s statement comes after the BCCI’s working committee held an emergency meeting in Hyderabad.
The BCCI has finalised a five-match one-day series against Sri Lanka to take place in India between November 1 and 15 to replace the cancelled West Indian tour.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2014.
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