Captain forced to flee country as Oman cricketers left unpaid

Oman's national cricket team and their cricket board are currently embroiled in a dispute over unpaid prize money totaling US $225,000 from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite the tournament—co-hosted by the USA and the Caribbean—setting a new record for total prize money, the Omani players are yet to receive their share.

Led by captain Kashyap Prajapati, the Oman team viewed the 2024 T20 World Cup as a landmark moment in their careers. The chance to compete on a global stage against top-tier teams like Australia and England was a major milestone for the Associate nation, even though they didn't record any wins during the tournament.

However, the ongoing pay dispute has had serious consequences. Captain Prajapati has since left Oman and is now seeking employment in the United States, a move forced by the financial uncertainty resulting from the unresolved payment issue.

"Our lives have been upended over this issue; we've lost our spot in the team, our contracts have been torn up, and we have been forced to leave the country. It's just so confusing and we don't understand why the ICC isn't able to ensure we get paid the prize money we have earned, and why there isn't a safe space for us to raise concerns?" Prajapati told ESPNcricinfo.

Within 21 days after the end of each ICC competition, member boards are required by ICC regulations to disburse the earned prize money to their respective teams. Oman qualified for a certain amount of prize money based on their performance in the most recent T20 World Cup, where they were placed between 13th and 20th.

During a tri-series in Canada, the Omani team initially voiced their concerns regarding the underpaid prize money. Before the T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup, which was held in Oman, they reaffirmed their worries. Unfortunately, the board allegedly disregarded their appeals on both occasions.

The board allegedly removed the players from the squad in response to their threat to boycott the Emerging Teams event in an effort to obtain clarification and assurance over the payment. The players were reportedly told to leave the team hotel and told that substitutes were available.

Only five of the original 15-man World Cup team played in the tournament's opening match against the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, once their employment visas, which were linked to their cricket contracts, were canceled, a large number of former team players have now fled the nation.

Oman's situation is not unique, as the World Cricketers' Association (WCA) claims that five of the twenty nations that competed in the 2024 T20 World Cup have not received their full prize payouts.