Oman Cricket Faces Backlash Over Unpaid Prize Money for Players

Concerns Raised Over Prize Money Distribution

Oman Cricket is currently under scrutiny as players report that they have not received any of the prize money allocated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for teams that qualified for the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and Barbados.

The ICC allocated $225,000 (approximately Rs 19,301,737) to the Oman cricket board after they finished last in Group C. According to ICC regulations, this prize money should be distributed equally among the players within 21 days following the tournament's conclusion.

The World Cricketers' Association (WCA) has indicated that several cricket boards participating in the tournament have yet to fulfill their financial obligations to players. However, Oman Cricket is notably the only board that has not disbursed any funds to its players thus far. Compounding the issue, players who have raised concerns about this situation have reportedly been blacklisted by the board.

Players Speak Out on Their Plight

Kashyap Prajapati, an India-born player for Oman, shared with ESPN Cricinfo that he has been removed from the Central Contract List and is currently in the US seeking stable employment. He expressed his frustration, stating,

"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."

He further mentioned that the players were unaware of the proceedings and did not voice their concerns when they failed to receive prize money from previous tournaments. Kashyap added,

"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?"

Impact on Players' Careers

Kashyap has represented Oman in 37 ODIs and 47 T20Is. Similarly, pacer Fayyaz Butt has voiced his concerns. He is currently in the US after his employment visa was revoked and is searching for work. Fayyaz, who has played 30 ODIs and 47 T20Is for Oman, stated,

"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."

Typically, Gulf countries issue work visas based on employment status. However, there are no clear regulations governing this, which limits the ICC's ability to take action against the Oman cricket board. Last year, the ICC and WCA established a prize money policy for players across ten major events through 2027.