Nearly a year after competing in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Oman’s cricketers are battling their board over $225,000 in unpaid prize money. The event, hosted in the United States and the Caribbean, saw a record-breaking prize pool, but not for Oman’s players.

The T20 World Cup, led by Kashyap Prajapati, was meant to be a watershed moment in their careers, pitting them against top-tier sides like England and Australia. Oman did not win, but simply playing was a significant accomplishment for an Associate nation. Prajapati is currently in the United States looking for work after being forced to leave Oman due to a pay disagreement with the cricket body.

“This situation has upended our life; we’ve lost our spot on the squad, our contracts have been terminated, and we’ve been forced to leave the country. It’s simply so complicated, and we don’t understand why the ICC can’t assure we be paid the award money we won, and why there isn’t a safe venue for us to express our concerns.” Prajapati said

Oman cricketers allege prize money denial, intimidation after T20 world cup

Meanwhile, the ICC (International Cricket Council) had set a clear policy of member boards must distribute the prize money to their squads within 21 days of the tournament’s conclusion. Oman finished between 13th and 20th, making them eligible for the allotted prize money. The ICC confirmed that this amount was duly transferred to Oman Cricket, yet none of it was given to the players.

The team raised multiple issues, first during a tri-series in Canada, and again before the T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup hosted in Oman. However, their concerns were ignored on each occasion. When they threatened to boycott the Emerging Teams tournament unless they received clarity and assurance, the board allegedly reacted by removing them from the squad. Players were told there were replacements ready and were asked to leave the team hotel.

Only five players from the original 15-man World Cup squad featured in the tournament opener against the UAE. Many former team players have left the country after their employment visas, connected to their cricket contracts, were revoked.

According to the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), five of the 20 teams at the 2024 T20 World Cup have not received their full prize payments. In several cases, players were intimidated or misled by their boards. The WCA stated that some boards took advantage of players’ lack of awareness and tried to withhold or partially pay prize money.