Unpaid players sue Canadian T20 organisers

Sixteen players have started legal proceedings against the organisers of the Cricket All Star T20 Match which was held in Toronto in May claiming they have yet to be paid. Ontario-based Kat Rose Custom Designs Inc (Kat Rose), which organised the Cricket Canada-approved event, was served notices at the Toronto Small Claims Court on September 27 regarding unpaid match fees and expenses totalling $113,000 approximately.

Affected players include Sanath Jayasariya, Saqlain Mushtaq, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Mark Boucher, Devon Smith, Tino Best, Brendan Taylor and Bangladesh allrounder Nasir Hossain, who was supposed to be paid $10,000, ESPNcricinfo has learnt.

"We are incredibly disappointed and distressed by the lack of professionalism of the Kat Rose organisation," Tim May, the chief executive officer of FICA, said. "The players fulfilled their contractual obligations and are now each left out-of-pocket to the tune of several thousand dollars of their own money. How can anyone in good conscience conduct business this way?

"It is unacceptable that the players have yet to be compensated and reimbursed for their time and costs."

May said Kat Rose contracted individually with all of the players to secure their attendance and participation in the match, held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Additional events included a gala dinner, a practice, and a fan autograph session. Kat Rose has claimed the absence of some of the cricketers from Pakistan because of last minute visa issues meant the event was financially unsuccessful.