West Indies pull out of India tour over payment issues

The tourists will complete Friday’s fourth one-day international against India at Dharamsala, but will not play any more games — a fifth one-dayer, a Twenty20 match and three Tests were on the itinerary.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it had been informed by West Indies team manager Richie Richardson that the squad will not be taking part in the rest of the tour.

“The BCCI is shocked and extremely disappointed at the decision taken by the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board),” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement.

“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 WICB.”

West Indies one-day captain Dwayne Bravo has said before the start of the tour on October 8 that the players had not accepted a payment agreement signed on their behalf by the West Indies Players Association with the WICB.

However, the players took the field for the first two one-dayers in Kochi and New Delhi, while the third match in Visakhapatnam was cancelled due to a severe cyclonic storm that hit India’s east coast. – AFP