BCCI to send 46-member non-playing staff for West Indies T20Is

In what is certainly a first for the Indian cricket team and their employers, the BCCI will be sending a non-playing staff of almost 46 members for the upcoming T20I series in Florida. A report from the Indian Express states that the BCCI wanted to reward its members with a trip to the United States of America with BCCI president Anurag Thakur making an announcement on the same.

“We have been told that one member from each association will be taken to the US for the India-West Indies T20 internationals. It’s an all expenses paid trip sponsored by the BCCI,” report quoted a cricket board member, who attended the SGM, as saying.

While compared to the 14-man Indian cricket team that will be travelling to Florida to take part in the series, the fact that the Board is sending a contingent almost three times the size is something simply extraordinary.

The two-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series, which will mark India’s first foray in the USA, will be played against West Indies at Fort Lauderdale in Florida on August 27 and 28. This will be for the first time that the non-playing contingent will outnumber the playing contingent by this big a number.

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Reports also go on to suggest that the budget set aside by the BCCI will be over the cap of Rs. 3 Crores. This would include a business class flight ticket for each member of the contingent along with a $250 allowance per day per official who will be travelling as well. Although the national selectors are currently in the Caribbean at the moment, it is unclear whether they would make the trip to Florida or not.

Also read – 5 Things to look forward to in the India v West Indies T20I series