West Indies announce they are cancelling remainder of tour of India... DURING a match

The dispute is down to player payments

West Indies in action against India during the ICC World Twenty20 tournament at The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka earlier this year (GETTY IMAGES)

The West Indies have cancelled the remainder of their tour of India due to an ongoing dispute over player payments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced.

The announcement came while the fourth of a scheduled five one-day internationals was ongoing in Dharamsala. The fifth, in Kolkata on Monday, and the Twenty20 international and three Tests following that will not now take place.

A BCCI statement read: "The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has informed the BCCI of its decision to cancel the rest of its ongoing tour to India because of a dispute with its players, and has advised the BCCI that its players will return home immediately."

Trouble had seemed imminent at the televised pre-match coin toss when Windies captain Dwayne Bravo, with his full team standing in the background, told broadcaster Ian Bishop: "Time to make a decision."

The team have been in dispute with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) over the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement and memorandum of understanding, which would see sponsorship payments reallocated to fund the wider professional game in the islands.

The BCCI's statement continued: "The BCCI is shocked and extremely disappointed at the decision taken by the WICB.

"The WICB's inability to resolve internal issues with its players and allowing the same to affect an ongoing bilateral series does not reflect well on any of those involved.

"The withdrawal gives little thought to the future of the game, the players and the long-standing relations between the BCCI and the WICB.

"The BCCI wishes to inform all its stakeholders, especially ardent fans of the Indian cricket team, that this is a unilateral decision taken by the WICB and its players, in spite of several appeals to the WICB to honour its commitment and complete the series.

"The BCCI will pursue all options available to protect its rights, whilst seeking appropriate action from the ICC to ensure that its interests and those of the game at large will not suffer any damage due to such acts of indiscretion."

PA