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Sri Lankan cricket team players are having a tough time paying home instalments and insurance for their parents amid the contract stand-off with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Sri Lankan players have signed tour contracts for the ongoing limited-overs series against India.
Many Sri Lankan cricketers have not signed the new central contracts, as they are unhappy with the clauses in place. As per the new contracts, Sri Lankan players’ base salaries have been reduced, while performance-based incentives have been introduced.
According to a report in The Morning, the Sri Lankan players have written a letter to SLC, asking the board to clear their dues. The letter read:
“As you are aware, we have not been paid since 1st of January 2021 in view of the newly-introduced evaluation system which, when finally was out in March 2021, the players were unclear of the methodology adopted, giving rise to the request that it be given in writing.”
While most of the Sri Lankan players have been united in their fight against the board over the contract issue, not having a central contract severely affects the cricketers. Players who are not picked for a series don’t get paid if they are on a tour contract, which is presently the case with a few cricketers. A source told The Sunday Morning in this regard:
“They were expecting the annual contract pretty badly. Now those new ones are finding it difficult to pay their housing leases and parents’ medical insurances etc while their personal family arrangements, such as marriages, too are put on hold.”
Junior Sri Lankan players ready to sign new contracts: Reports
Reports now claim that junior Sri Lankan players have realised they are at a greater loss in the entire contract dispute.
According to The Morning, the younger players have understood that senior players are against the new contracts because they would get a 30% pay cut. On the other hand, younger players’ salaries would rise. The junior players’ letter read:
“We thank you for acceding to our request, as we are now aware of how we have been categorised and placed on various structures for annual contracts based on performance, fitness and other specified criteria. We kindly request that SLC grant our annual contract with reciprocal effect, from 1st January 2021, for which (we) would be most grateful.”
Former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, who is part of the Technical Advisory Committee which drafted the contracts, had earlier hit out at senior players like Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews. He was quoted as saying in media reports in this regard:
“Those seniors are trying to destroy the careers of the juniors by making use of them for their own benefit.”
Sri Lanka are taking on India in the second ODI in Colombo on Tuesday. After emphatically losing the first match on Sunday by seven wickets, the hosts need to win the second game to stay alive in the three-match series.
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