Claims Of Non-Payment Of Women Cricketers "Absolutely False": BCCI Official

BCCI on women cricketers allegedly not receiving pay for their employment has rubbished these claims, calling them "false". A senior official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) relayed this stand after reports in an international publication said four players who lost their central contracts for 2020-21 "will not be paid for almost eight months of employment" completed previously.

"This is absolutely false. Every player is paid in accordance with the terms of the contract with the BCCI. The payments have been made for the contracted period," an unnamed BCCI spokesperson told news agency ANI. 

The four players, namely Veda Krishnamurthy, Ekta Bisht, Anuja Patil and D Hemalatha, have not featured on BCCI's Annual Player Contracts announced May 19.

BCCI On Women Cricketers Allegedly Not Receiving Pay Despite Contract

Further, a report dated May 23 in The Telegraph (UK) caused a furore after it claimed prize money payment worth $500,0000 was pending for Indian women cricketers who were runner-ups in World T20 World Cup last year. BCCI had responded saying there were technical hold-ups in disbursing the amount to each player. Read more here.

Adding to BCCI's rebuttal for Telegraph's report, the official said, "The claim made in the story essentially assumes that a contract existed for almost eight months for which they would not be paid. This is incorrect, and I can only conclude that this is on the back of incorrect advice. If a contract ended in September 2020 and the payments have been made in relation to that contract, it is wrong to imply otherwise."

On the reported delay of payment to women cricketers, BCCI has admitted a need to "tighten the system." The BCCI earlier stated they received the T20 prize money from the International Cricket Council (ICC) only in November 2020. Owing to a tax dispute between the board and the council, player payment was held up. BCCI officials have said cricketers should expect payment in a day or two. Details here.