The International Cricket Council (ICC) has criticised the actions and comments of several West Indies players following their World Twenty20 final win over England in Kolkata earlier this month.
There had been reports prior to the tournament that the team were on the verge of withdrawing from the event as part of a long-running pay and contract dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
Prior to lifting the trophy, West Indies captain Darren Sammy gave an emotional interview on the Eden Gardens outfield where he thanked Keith Mitchell, the Prime Minister of Grenada and a key member of the Caricom heads of government umbrella body, but accused the WICB of “disrespecting” the team.
The ICC, in a statement issued yesterday after a board meeting at its Dubai headquarters congratulated the WICB on an “unprecedented treble” that saw the West Indies also win the Women’s World Twenty20 final and the boys Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh in February.
But the ICC said it had given “very serious consideration” to bringing Code of Conduct charges against several West Indies players for “inappropriate” and “disrespectful” comments that “brought the event into disrepute”.
“The board acknowledged an apology by the WICB but was disappointed to note that such behaviour had detracted from the success of what was otherwise a magnificent tournament and final,” the ICC statement read.
