Windies’ tour of India definitely abandoned

The West Indies Cricket Board have reconfirmed the cancellation of this month’s tour of India.

A payment structure dispute between the WICB and West Indies Players Association has seen the series abruptly cut short.

Friday’s fourth ODI at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharmasala was the last of a series that was scheduled to feature six limited-overs fixtures and three Tests.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed the curtailment, after the West Indies team management had revealed the decision earlier in the day.

The main cause of the impasse between the WICB and WIPA is the memorandum of understanding and the combined bargaining agreement signed in September. Player representative and captain Dwayne Bravo had claimed WIPA president and CEO Wavell Hinds had signed the financial document without the contracted squad’s consent.

“The WICB clarifies that players in the West Indies squad currently in India represented by Bravo indicated to the WICB through the West Indies team management that the players have taken a decision to withdraw their services for the remainder of the tour of India,” read a media release from the WICB.

“As a result of this action by the players the WICB was left with no option but to advise the BCCI that it will no longer be able to provide a West Indies team for the remaining five matches – the fifth ODI, one-off T20 International and three Test matches.”

The BCCI have since sought and found Sri Lanka as replacement opposition, for five ODIs from 1 November.