He Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reacted fiercely to claims that there has been a delay in awarding prize money for the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup to domestic players. It is noteworthy that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) organised the ODI World Cup last year and Australia won the title.
Well, the controversy erupted after Debabrata Paul, a BCB councillor and general secretary of the Bangladesh Cricket Welfare Association, publicly criticised the board for not yet disbursing the funds to the Bangladesh cricket team players.
BCB denies delay in 2023 ODI World Cup prize money, slams councillor’s claims as baseless
The BCB has denied the allegations and said the delay was not due to any intentional oversight or negligence. According to the BCB, prize money for major ICC events such as the World Cup usually arrives a few months after the tournament has finished.
However, the BCB has faced unexpected delays due to complex tax and compliance procedures, and that is why they were unable to disburse the prize money to the players despite the ODI World Cup concluding in November 2023.
The BCB said in an official statement: “The BCB wishes to clarify that the delay is not deliberate nor due to any negligence on the part of the Board. Prize money for major International Cricket Council (ICC) events, such as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, is normally received a few months after the conclusion of the tournament.”
To address these issues, the BCB engaged the services of Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP, an international accounting firm based in India, to expedite the process. The firm has been working on the necessary formalities to ensure that the prize money reaches the players without further delay.
Prize money is expected to be paid out in a few weeks: BCB
The BCB said they expect the funds to be credited soon as the final steps have been completed recently. The BCB added: “Due to tax formalities and compliance issues, the disbursement process has experienced delays. These are administrative obstacles that have affected not only the BCB but also other participating countries.
We have been informed that these formalities have recently been completed and that the prize money is expected to be credited to the BCB in the coming weeks.”
Furthermore, the BCB has strongly rejected Paul’s allegations, calling them baseless and detrimental to the integrity of the board’s operations. The board also condemned the allegations as baseless and stated that such allegations undermine its credibility and commitment to the game.
The statement also reads: “The BCB strongly refutes the false statements made by the councillor in question and vehemently protests the insinuations of wrongdoing against the Board and its officials in this matter. Such allegations are unfounded and undermine the integrity of the BCB’s operations.”
It is noteworthy that the Bangladesh cricket team is currently in Pakistan, preparing for the upcoming two-match Test series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. The two-match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is scheduled to begin on August 21 in Rawalpindi.
