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Oman's cricketers are reportedly engaged in a dispute with their cricket board over unpaid T20 World Cup 2024 prize money which amounts to US $225,000. The T20 World Cup 2025, which set a new benchmark for total prize money and was jointly hosted by the USA and the Caribbean, has concluded without the Omani players receiving their due share.
Oman players yet to receive T20 World Cup 2024's prize money
For the team, led by Kashyap Prajapati, T20 World Cup 2024 was envisioned as a significant milestone in their careers, offering the invaluable experience of competing against top-tier nations such as England and Australia on the global stage. Although Oman did not secure any victories in the tournament, their very participation as an Associate nation was considered a substantial achievement. However, the aftermath of the pay dispute has had serious consequences for the captain, Kashyap Prajapati, who is currently seeking employment in the United States after being compelled to leave Oman
"Our lives have been upended over this issue; we've lost our spot in the team, our contracts have been torn up, and we have been forced to leave the country. It's just so confusing and we don't understand why the ICC isn't able to ensure we get paid the prize money we have earned, and why there isn't a safe space for us to raise concerns?" Prajapati told ESPNcricinfo.
According to the ICC guidelines, member boards are obligated to distribute the earned prize money to their respective teams within 21 days following the conclusion of any ICC tournament. Based on their performance in the recent T20 World Cup, where Oman finished in the 13th to 20th position bracket, they became eligible for a designated amount of prize money.
The Omani team first raised concerns about the unpaid prize money during a tri-series held in Canada. They reiterated their concerns prior to the T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup, which was hosted in Oman. Regrettably, on both occasions, their appeals were allegedly ignored by the board. When the players threatened to boycott the Emerging Teams tournament in an attempt to gain clarity and assurance regarding the payment, the board allegedly responded by removing them from the squad. The players were reportedly informed that replacements were readily available and were instructed to vacate the team hotel. Consequently, only five players from the original 15-man World Cup squad participated in the tournament opener against the UAE. Furthermore, many former team members have since left the country after their employment visas, which were tied to their cricket contracts, were revoked.
Oman is not an isolated case, as five of the twenty teams that participated in the 2024 T20 World Cup have allegedly not received their full prize payments, according to the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA).
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