Windies chiefs slam captain Dwayne Bravo as India tour called off
Players 'withdraw their services' over pay dispute
The West Indies Cricket Board attacked one-day captain Dwayne Bravo after confirming the team’s tour of India had been abandoned following a strike by their own players in a pay dispute.
As India won the fourth of what were supposed to be five-one-day internationals by 59 runs in Dharamsala, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the tour was over – something which their Caribbean counterparts revealed on Friday was a possibility right from the outset.
It’s been tough for us on tour... Everyone is sticking together, despite what’s going on
Several hours later, following a teleconference, the WICB issued a statement from their headquarters in St John’s, Antigua, blaming the collapse of the tour – with a fifth one-dayer, a Twenty20 match and three tests all remaining on the itinerary – on their players.
“The WICB clarifies that players in the West Indies squad currently in India represented by Mr Dwayne 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,” the WICB’s latest statement said.
It also said sending in a batch of fresh players to carry on the tour in place of the originally selected squad was not an option.
“The WICB wishes to further clarify that its proposed alternative arrangement of a replacement West Indies team was not considered acceptable. The WICB is understanding of this position.”
In the course of a 10-point statement, the WICB said it would hold an emergency board meeting in Barbados on Tuesday to “conduct a thorough assessment of all the ramifications of the premature end to the tour”.