BCCI not backing down on compensation claims

London, Nov 6 (IANS/CMC) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said Thursday it is determined to follow through with its move to seek compensation from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for the aborted One-Day International (ODI) and three-match Test series last month.

The BCCI has demanded $41.97 million for damages and secretary Sanjay Patel said that once the board was through sorting the remaining losses, it would make a fresh claim, reports CMC.

"We have sent a demand letter to the WICB claiming damages to the tune of Rs.258 crore ($41.97). And we are in the process of ascertaining other damages incurred by our hosting centres, after which we will present a final claim amount. It is a matter of consideration for the WICB to decide as to how they will cover our damages," Patel said.

"Abandoning the tour is a unilateral decision of the WICB and they are solely responsible for this entire episode. There has been a direct and disastrous impact. Other than the financial losses, the collateral damage that has been caused to the BCCI and its stakeholders is irreparable."

Patel's comments come as a huge blow to Caribbean cricket officials who were hoping the Indians would back down from demands that are likely to cripple Caribbean cricket.

West Indies players walked off the tour abruptly after failing to resolve a row with their board, the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), over the terms and conditions of their new contracts.

As a result, the fifth ODI and the one-off Twenty20 International (T20I) had to be abandoned along with the three-match Test series.

Since then, there have been frantic talks between the main Caribbean stakeholders in the crisis, in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

And even though the International Cricket Council (ICC) has shown an interest in having the situation resolved amicably, Patel says the matter remained one between the two boards.

"This is a bilateral issue between BCCI and WICB. We will approach the ICC as and when the situation so demands."

In its initial letter last Friday outlining the demand for compensation, the BCCI told the WICB it had 15 days to indicate how it intended to settle the debt.

Failing this, the BCCI said it would initiate legal proceedings against the Caribbean board.

--IANS/CMC

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