West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy has addressed the financial pressures facing Caribbean cricket after players were hit with a 25% reduction in international retainer fees, describing the timing of the news ahead of the India ODI series as unwelcome while acknowledging Cricket West Indies’ need to protect its financial sustainability.
Sammy made the comments at his pre-match press conference ahead of the third and final ODI against India, with West Indies already 2-0 down in the series. The former West Indies Captain indicated that the broader financial difficulties confronting the regional game were not new to him, having already been discussed during an earlier Test series in India.
Sammy responds to player pay cuts
The reduction in retainers added another challenge for a West Indies side preparing to face India away from home, but Sammy separated the difficult timing of the development from the financial realities confronting CWI.
West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the third and final ODI against India: “As a professional, that’s not what you want to hear before a series. But again, it’s no secret to me. I think earlier this year when I was here for the Test series, we spoke about the financial situation of West Indies cricket.”
CWI’s financial position has forced the governing body to make significant changes beyond the international player contracts. As previously reported by cricexec, international retainers have been reduced by 25%, while players will continue to receive contracts covering 12 months. Domestic retainers are being shortened to seven months, while the men’s Super50 and women’s T20 Blaze will not take place in their existing formats this year.
The restructuring is designed to reduce expenditure amid cashflow pressures across West Indies cricket, where the costs associated with staging domestic competitions across multiple Caribbean territories place a significant burden on CWI. The ICC also approved a US$16 million loan facility for the governing body in July, available across three installments and subject to repayment terms and conditions that CWI must satisfy to access the funds.
Sammy acknowledged the decisions facing the administration as it attempts to operate within those financial constraints. He said: “I guess the administrators, the board, you’ve still got to find ways to stay afloat. If you have a business that’s not doing well financially, you’ve got to find ways to sustain it.”
There was no straightforward financial solution available to remove those pressures from the players, according to the Head Coach. Sammy added: “Unless I say abracadabra (magic word) and then we get a big sum of money where we could entice our players to just let them know that everything’s going to be okay financially, that’s the situation we’re facing.”
India series offered players an opportunity
Despite the uncertainty surrounding player remuneration, Sammy had viewed the India series as an opportunity for West Indies cricketers to strengthen both the team’s position and their own standing through performances against one of international cricket’s leading sides.
That message became particularly relevant after West Indies lost the opening two matches, including a remarkable second ODI in which they scored 405 for seven but were unable to defend the total.
Sammy said: “Before the pay cuts, I said, there is no better time to play India. You win against the best team, you get some leverage, not only for West Indies as a whole, but for you personally. Performing against India pays you back down the road. We try our best to put that there. I commend the guys for the way they put their heads down. Yes, the results have not gone [our way]. But we keep improving in certain areas.”
The batting provided Sammy with encouraging signs despite the two defeats. Rather than focusing solely on individual scores, the West Indies setup was monitoring areas including strike rotation and how its batters approached spin.
Sammy noted: “Intent is something that we’ve spoken about in the dressing room. We have had four batters scoring 100s in two games. It is a positive for us. The rotation of strike, the intent, especially against spin- these are the KPIs that we take.”
West Indies respond with record chase
West Indies ultimately converted those signs of progress into a victory after Sammy’s press conference, preventing an Indian clean sweep with a five-wicket win in the third ODI.
India posted 351 for seven, but West Indies successfully chased 352 for five behind an unbeaten 162 from Shai Hope and 67 from Amir Jangoo. The result represented West Indies’ highest successful chase in ODI cricket and came just days after they had suffered the contrasting experience of losing despite making 405.
The victory gave West Indies a winning finish to a series played against the backdrop of significant financial change within Caribbean cricket. India nevertheless secured the three-match ODI series 2-1, having won the opening two matches before West Indies responded in the finale.
