New Delhi, 25 September (H.S.): Cricket West Indies (CWI), which is facing financial difficulties, has decided to cut the salaries of its international players by 25 per cent. The board on Friday announced the salary reduction along with several other measures aimed at addressing its financial situation.

According to Cricket West Indies, international players will continue to remain on 12-month contracts despite the salary cut. However, the duration of retainer contracts for domestic players has been reduced to seven months.

The board has also postponed this year’s men’s Super50 and Women’s T20 Blaze tournaments to reduce expenditure and focus on preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier and the main tournament.

A Best-versus-Best development tournament will be organised next year in place of the Women’s Super50 competition. Meanwhile, the West Indies’ four-day first-class competition, the West Indies Championship, will continue with 12 matches in a bilateral-series format, as it did this year.

Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Officer Chris Dehring said in an official statement that the board also has to take into account cricket’s return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and the sport’s debut at next year’s Pan American Games in Lima.

He said the decision had been taken to direct limited resources towards programmes that are more effective and cost-efficient and can deliver greater benefits to West Indies cricket in the medium and long term.

Dehring also disclosed that Cricket West Indies had secured a US$16 million loan from the International Cricket Council (ICC). The amount will be made available in three tranches over the next year, subject to specified conditions and performance benchmarks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar