BCCI hopeful of lifting sanctions on the WICB

WICB is hoping that the BCCI will lift the sanctions after the AGM scheduled on November 9

With a disastrous decision to leave a tour midway at the international level, WICB has been in some problems with the BCCI. Michael Muirhead, the Chief Executive of WICB has reportedly involved in a meeting with the board members of BCCI.

Looking for the upliftment of the sanctions on WICB, Muirhead is looking forward to resuming good relationship between the two countries back. BCCI had charged a huge amount of damage on the WICB. According to BCCI, they had, “every right to claim damages” and following this incident a decision on 9th November will be made by the BCCI.

Now that the Annual General Meeting is lined up for the 9th of November, we will be expecting the board to take a decision to either maintain the relationship with WICB or continue with the sanctions.

BCCI might lift the sanctions on the West Indies Cricket Board for bilateral series. The West Indians pulled out of a tour in India, midway last October. BCCI cancelled all bilateral tours with West Indies last year. India was scheduled to play 5 series in the next 8 years against the West Indies. Out of these 5 series, the Indians would have been the visitors for 4 times.

BCCI had hammered the West Indies Cricket Board with damages worth $41.97 Million. The Indian board believed that the decision to pull out of the tour was a “monumental disaster”. This incident took place under the reign of the former BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel, with N Srinivasan as the head.

WICB had made known the BCCI its inability to pay the huge amount of damages which made the BCCI overlook the decision of sending the Indian team to the Caribbean next summer.

Things were much worse for the WICB that made them back out the tour last year. But in the sporting spirit, we believe that the BCCI should uplift the sanctions for the sake of the sport. If they don’t uplift these, it will be tough to see a WI, IND clash in the future.

Dave Cameroon, the WICB president and Michael Muirhead, Chief Executive of WICB have reportedly met with BCCI officials on 17th October to communicate some professional apologies for last year’s decision.

The Board has made known that they cannot live up to the financial damages, but they would love to indemnify and pay back by visiting India in 2017.

A proper proposal has been sent to the BCCI for the same. If the working committee believes that the proposal is competent, India will be playing four tests in West Indies in the following July – August.

Muirhead confirmed about his meeting with the BCCI President and other officials over the topic and mentioned that there is hope that the BCCI uplifts the damages. He was positive about the meeting and felt that there could be a way out.

Michael told Cricinfo, “We are certainly on the road to resolution, we had discussions on the resolution of the impasse that currently exists. It was very, very cordial. We discussed everything that would affect us at length. We were sure that a resolution would be forthcoming in the very near future. We are hoping that it will take root at the AGM."

The Chief executive didn’t give hard details on the meetings, but what we can predict is, If BCCI accepts the proposal, the Indies will be coming for a limited over tour in 2017. Also, as per the reports, with the 4 tests, West Indies will be hosting India for 5 ODIs and 1 T20 in the same tour.

Muirhead believed that BCCI could favour the WICB, but also showed his concerns by saying that the final decision is in the hands of the Indian Board, Michael said, “It is really in the hands of the BCCI whether they either ratify what we had discussed or propose any changes they might want” to Cricinfo.

With WICB destroying a good sporting relationship last year, we hope that BCCI mends this on 9th November. There have been many problems with WICB already, but we hope that BCCI can be friendly enough to let a mistake made by the WICB last year go. We have to wait till the AGM to hear what’s next for the West Indies.