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Cricket might be called as a gentleman’s game, but there are a few disparities which continue to haunt a few cricket boards. Among them, one of them is Oman Cricket Board. As per the latest updates, Oman’s national cricket team and their cricket board are currently embroiled in a dispute over unpaid prize money from last year's T20 World Cup.
The Oman cricket team, which featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup are reportedly yet to receive their prize money, which is expected to be a sum totaling to USD 225,000. It is to be noted that Oman, despite making to the marquee tournament, failed to make an impact and were knocked out, finishing last in the Group C standings, which also included the likes of England and Australia.
Oman cricketers yet to receive prize money worth INR 1,93,01,737 from T20 WC 2024
As per International Cricket Council’s (ICC) policy, a board must evenly distribute the prize money to its players within 21 days of the end of the event. While the ICC has confirmed that the prize money was paid to Oman, the players are yet to receive their shares. However, this did not come to the front, until their skipper Kashyap Prajapat revealed the shocking details.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Prajapat revealed, “Our lives have been upended over this issue; we've lost our spot in the team, our contracts have been torn up, and we have been forced to leave the country. It's just so confusing and we don't understand why the ICC isn't able to ensure we get paid the prize money we have earned, and why there isn't a safe space for us to raise concerns?"
At this moment, the India-born cricketer who has played 37 ODIs and 47 T20Is for Oman, is currently in the US and hoping to secure his future amid such uncertainties. The Oman skipper’s sentiments echoed pacer Fayyaz Butt, who also left the country and now is fearing for his future. “It's been a massive loss for my career and professionally. I had to leave Oman. I'm not working at the moment, looking for opportunities but our playing careers are over,” the Oman pacer revealed.
