Bihar cricketers suffering financial crisis after not getting salaries from the BCCI

The uncapped cricketers from Bihar are undergoing tough times as they haven’t received their salaries for the past two seasons yet. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has worsened their situation as they are already suffering from the financial crunch and aren’t even getting matches to play.

The cricketers blamed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their situation as they are still waiting for their remuneration for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 season. One of the cricketers from Bihar, Prashant Singh, narrated his heart-wrenching story regarding how he is suffering due to lack of money.

The 21-year-old seamer revealed that not getting paid has made his condition worst as he is the only breadwinner in his family and had to take money on loan for getting his sister married the previous year. Adding to the misery, his elder brother has contracted Covid-19 and this has left him worried regarding how to pay for the medical expenses.

“Every time I get a message on my phone I presume money has been deposited. Last year I had to get my elder sister married. I borrowed money, hoping to repay when I get match fees. I lost my father in 2016. I haven’t received the money to date. Now my elder brother has tested positive for the coronavirus.”

“I don’t know where I will get money from. We have been hearing this for the last year. ‘Money will be deposited next month’ is what we are told. Our financial situation is dire at the moment,” Prashant, who is to receive about Rs 8 lakh, told The Indian Express from Chhapra.

BCA opines on the reason for not paying the cricketers

Meanwhile, the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) and BCCI are playing the blame game as both the institutions have held each other responsible for the delay in payments. Speaking about the whole matter, BCA president Rakesh Tiwary reckoned that the Indian board told them that there was an error in the documentation and thus BCA has sent all the papers again.

“We had earlier sent invoices to BCCI but they informed us that there was an error in the documentation. All the invoices have been sent again (in March) and payment will be received soon,” Tiwary said.