BCCI to lift Sanctions over WICB; West Indies Likely to Tour India in 2017

BCCI to lift Sanctions over WICB; West Indies Likely to Tour India in 2017: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to lift sanctions over WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) paving way for the imminent West Indies tour of India in 2017. The BCCI will deliberate on the issue of whether to revoke the suspension imposed on West Indies last year or not at its annual General Meeting this Monday on November 9.

WICB’s decision to pull-out its players of the India-West Indies series last year led to serious trust deficit between the official cricket boards of India and West Indies. West Indies were on Indian tour for 5 ODIs, 1-T20 match and 3-tests. But some mutual disagreement and conflicts between WICB and WIPA (West Indies Players’ Association), the West Indian board cancelled the series midway after the 4^th ODI in Dharamsala leaving many fans, organizers and sponsors in the lurch.

In other words, the series is best remembered for sensationalizing the domestic cricket problems between a nation’s official cricket board and its players (WICB Vs WIPA) to international level and that too at the cost of BCCI’s huge loss to treasury. As per the estimate, BCCI had lost more than Rs. 2500 million due to non-completion of this bilateral series.

Following which BCCI had asked WICB for reparation of more than $40 million for the damages it had suffered because of the latter’s unpredictable decision. India’s apex cricket body termed the abandonment of the series midway by West Indies as a monumental disaster.

WICB further complicated the matter by citing its inability to pay the whopping sum of around 40 million USD as compensation to BCCI raising a serious question mark over the these two teams’ possibility of playing a bilateral series again.

The Future of India-West Indies Bilateral Series

The scenario has improved a little after the fruitful meeting between the officials of WICB and BCCI last month. Dave Cameron, WICB president along with the chief executive Michael Murihead was personally present at that meeting and urged BCCI to normalize ties with the West Indian Board.

According to top sources, WICB has tendered apology to BCCI revealing its inability to pay the outstanding compensation owing to weak financial condition. BCCI president Shashank Manohar and Secretary Anurag Thakur were also present on that occasion. The Caribbean board has also expressed its willingness to tour India again.

After the meeting, West Indies board officials seemed very optimist and hopeful of an early resolution indicating possible chance of bilateral series between India and West Indies in future. If all goes well then West Indies tour of India is pretty certain. However, no official announcement has been made in this regard until now.

“We are certainly on the road to resolution. We had discussions on the resolution of the impasse that currently exists. It was very, very cordial. We discussed everything that would affect us at length,” Muirhead told ESPNcricinfo. Now it’s BCCI’s choice to ratify WICB’s suggestion or make any new announcement on this issue on Monday.