How does ICC feel about Ricky Ponting's claim of pay disparity in Test cricket?
Ricky Ponting had recently voiced his support for equal pay for Test cricketers across the globe to attract more cricketers into the format. Meanwhile, the ICC discussed the same within itself but did not take the matter forward.
FollowThe International Cricket Council (ICC) has distanced itself from Ricky Ponting's claims of "talks" within the sport's governing body to address pay disparity in Test cricket. At the curtain raiser of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2021-23 earlier this month, Ponting had said that discussions were on at a very high level in the ICC to ensure cricketers from smaller countries are paid well to play the five-day format.
However, ICC general manager of cricket Wasim Khan said the issue was raised in one of the Cricket Committee meetings but was not taken forward. "I think it was perhaps a misquote. It was raised initially by the ICC Cricket Committee. It was a discussion point but certainly nothing was taken forward around payments to players. Ricky's views were a discussion point as many things are within the Cricket Committee but there has been no discussion with the members with regards to that," said Wasim in a select media interaction.
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The Cricket Committee is headed by former India captain Sourav Ganguly. During the event held on May 19, Ponting had said: "... make the payments bit more even across international Test cricket to attract players from these different countries who want to play for their country. It is something that has been spoken about at a very high level at the ICC to help that..."
With the rapid rise of Twenty20 (T20) cricket, an increasing number of players are preferring franchise leagues over national duty, especially the ones from the Windies. In ICC's proposed financial model for 2024-27, the 12 Test-playing nations will see a substantial increase in their earnings. "What is fair to say is what the members will be receiving in the next cycle will be greater than what they have received previously. The players' payments are down to the members [individual boards]," he said.
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We have to co-exist: Wasim on threat from franchise cricket
With the game entering unchartered territories via T20 leagues, the international calendar is busier than ever. Asked about the growing threat from franchise cricket, Wasim said: "The fact is there are highly competitive domestic T20 leagues being set up around the world. It provides more choices to fans. More choice to players, and, with that, you get to see improvements in our white-ball World Cups."
"With the emergence of leagues, there has to be a way to co-exist. We have to co-exist moving forward. The great thing is that members have signed up for WTC for the next eight years. We have some of the top stars of the game talking about the importance of Test cricket," he added.
It is an ongoing matter: Wasim on Pakistan's participation in ICC World Cup
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi has made it clear that the national team will not travel to India for the ICC World Cup in October-November if the latter doesn't play its Asia Cup 2023 matches in Pakistan.
ICC CEO Geoff Allardice and chairman Greg Barclay are in Pakistan at the moment for "routine meetings", but they are also expected to discuss the cricketing deadlock between the arch-rivals. The ICC will announce the CWC schedule during the WTC Final. Wasim did not say much on the contentious subject.
"That is something that is ongoing at the moment. Geoff Allardice and Greg Barclay are in Pakistan at the moment discussing a number of areas with the PCB hierarchy, but that is certainly up to the two countries and hierarchy within the ICC to discuss and come to some conclusion," he concluded.
