Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga has urged cricket authorities to help West Indies revive their cricket rather than penalizing them. The ICC Board Meeting scheduled for November 10 will discuss West Indies’ abandonment of their tour of India and the way forward.
According to certain media reports, West Indies face suspension from the ICC if the BCCI lodges a complaint with the governing body. Indian cricket authorities have threatened to take legal action against WICB. Observers also pointed out that West Indies’ participation fee for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015 could be relocated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“West Indies have offered so much to the game and they need to be supported. If they were handed a hefty fine or face suspension that’s going to have a massive impact on the future of their cricket,” Ranatunga, a former Director of ICC noted.
“I am surprised that BCCI is at war with the WICB, but at the same time they have said that they will not impose any bans on West Indies players. It was the players who cancelled the tour of India and why not take these players to task? Ranatunga queried.
“Several West Indies players are prominent figures in some of the IPL franchises and are the players spared because their absence will affect these powerful franchises?”
“This is a good lesson for the West Indies cricket officials as they were one of the first boards to give in to the Big Three concept. Now they have been taught a bitter lesson. This has been a real slap on the face of West Indies cricket and very soon Sri Lanka Cricket that allowed the Big Three concept to go ahead without any resistance will be taught a lesson too,” Ranatunga added.
West Indies abandoned their tour of India earlier this month due to a pay dispute with West Indies Cricket Board and their Player Association.
