Oman Cricket agrees to pay T20 World Cup prize money after year-long delay

Oman Cricket (OC) has finally agreed to disburse the prize money owed to its players who participated in the men’s T20 World Cup 2024, nearly a year after the tournament concluded. The board confirmed on Monday that the amount of USD 225,000 will be paid to the players and support staff by July 2025. Oman Cricket attributed the delay to procedural reasons.

Earlier in the month, reports emerged that players from Oman’s T20 World Cup squad are yet to receive their share of the prize money, despite the tournament being held in June 2024 in the USA and the Caribbean.

As per agreements signed by participating boards with the International Cricket Council (ICC), prize money must be distributed to players within 21 days of the board receiving it from the ICC. The ICC had reportedly transferred the funds to Oman Cricket on time. However, Oman Cricket claimed the delay was due to ‘procedural issues’ pointing to the need for formal post event clarifications from the ICC, which are typically provided after major global tournaments.

In October 2024, tensions escalated during the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, when Oman players frustrated over the non-payment decided to take collective action. The dispute became big when players threatened to withdraw from the tournament and were ultimately told to leave just a day before it began.

As a result of the protest, Oman Cricket suspended the central contracts of 11 out of the 15 players from the World Cup squad. Most of them were subsequently forced to leave the country, as residency in Oman, like in many Gulf states, is tied to employment. With their contracts and employment revoked, many players had no choice but to return home.