Key Points

Earlier this month, reports surfaced on social media that Oman players were not paid their due monetary reward for the T20 World Cup held in the US and the Caribbean last year. The board claimed that the delay in disbursement was "procedural".

The board reiterated that the delay in disbursement was procedural, dependent on formal post-event clarifications from the ICC, which are typically received after global tournaments.

"The OC board's decision follows various emergency meetings convened over the last 8 months on this topic. The board reiterated that the delay in disbursement was procedural, dependent on formal post-event clarifications from the ICC, which are typically received after global tournaments," Oman Cricket said in a statement.

In October 2024, 11 senior players, including then-captain Aqib Ilyas and ex-skipper Zeeshan Maqsood, withdrew from national duty hours before Oman's campaign at the ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Muscat.

After the walkout, the Oman Cricket Board met twice in emergency sessions. Following the emergency session, the board unanimously resolved to terminate the central contracts of the 11 players and bar them from all national and domestic cricket.

The 11 players included Aqib Ilyas, Zeeshan Maqsood, Ayaan Khan, Kashyap Prajapati, Shoaib Khan, Ahmed Fayyaz Butt, Pratik Athavale, Kaleemullah, Rafiullah, Naseem Khushi, and Khalid Kail.

According to Oman Cricket, the decision aligned with the players' contractual obligations, which the board emphasised the players had "clearly breached." Oman Cricket stated that the board members, including chairman Pankaj Khimji, "had repeatedly assured the players that payments would be made in full following the ICC's confirmation of the allocation and structure."

"The players had every right to seek clarity, and we were transparent about the timelines involved. But to walk out at the last moment -- just hours before representing the nation -- was not only irresponsible, but it was also an insult to the entire team, the coaching staff, the board, and most importantly, the nation they were supposed to serve," Khimji said in a statement.

During that phase, Oman players also sought out help from the World Cricketers' Association (WCA). Khimji strongly criticised the involvement and said, "It is evident that the players were heavily influenced and misled by external voices -- particularly the WCA -- which encouraged them to abandon their duties under the guise of advocacy. What happened was not protest, but provocation."

Oman Cricket also revealed that to avoid future lapses, the board "has constituted a special internal committee to investigate the communication gap around the prize money and to recommend a more robust, transparent structure for tournament-based remunerations and player engagement ahead."

"This was an isolated incident, but it showed us the need for stronger systems. We will ensure that players are never left uncertain about their entitlements -- but also that professional commitments are never compromised," the board treasurer, Alkesh Joshi, said in the statement.

- ANI