West Indies Pullout Costs BCCI Rs 400 Crore; WICB May be Asked to Pay Damages

The Board of Control for Cricket in India will probably ask West Indies Cricket Board to pay damages worth Rs 400 crore (close to USD 65 million) after the West Indian players pulled out of their tour of India. A final decision will be taken after the BCCI's working committee meets on October 21 in Hyderabad.

West Indies, who were in India to play a five-match ODI series, one-off T20 International and three Test matches, pulled out of the tour after the fourth ODI in Dharamsala over pay disputes. The Indian board reacted sharply and said it would sue the West Indians for revenue losses suffered on 17 match days. (Angry India May Scrap West Indies Tour of 2016)

Soon after the West Indies pulled out, India confirmed a five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, but that still leaves BCCI with 12 match days to account for this season. (Sangakkara Questions Sri Lanka's Decision to Schedule India Tour)

"We have referred the matter to our legal cell and asked them to let us know by 21st about how we can pursue the issue legally.They [WICB] entered into a bilateral agreement with us, and they abandoned the tour due to their internal issues, so we will have to seek compensation. But, depending on the legal advice, the working committee will decide the future course of action," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told ESPNcricinfo.

The BCCI is also seriously contemplating reviewing the West Indies players' participation in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

So miffed are the BCCI officials with the attitude of the Caribbean players that some hard actions can't be ruled out as far as their playing in IPL is concerned.

"The matter is likely to be raised at IPL governing council meeting where the issue will come up for serious discussions. Some of the members of Board's top brass want to ban the Windies players for at least one season," a senior BCCI functionary had told PTI on Friday.