Player payments in focus after withdrawal

Sahara's decision to pull Pune Warriors out of the IPL has thrown into question its pending payments to the franchise's players. The players' contract stipulate that 35% of their salaries will be paid after the tournament ends.

Senior batsman Robin Uthappa said he had no worries about payment, although at least three domestic players confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they hadn't yet been paid their second instalment of 50%, which was due by May 1.

"Sahara have never defaulted so far in the previous seasons," Uthappa told ESPNcricinfo. "In fact, two out of the four instalments for this year have already come. The remaining two are scheduled to come in September and then November. They have always paid very well, and I have no doubt they will not falter."

Even though Sahara may have paid a few senior players the second instalment of their salaries, hardly any of the domestic uncapped players has been paid after the first instalment of 15%.

"We just hope that whatever be the fallout between the owners and the board, our interests will be safeguarded," a player said, requesting anonymity.

A Sahara spokesperson said the domestic uncapped players had nothing to worry about. "Why should we falter the payment of those players especially when we are paying millions to the senior players," the spokesperson said. "Remember, last year we even paid a senior professional like Yuvraj Singh his full contracted fee of $1.8 million even when he had could not play a single match due to his illness."

The BCCI, meanwhile, has decided to not let the players suffer for what it termed "the owners' goof-up". "The players' payments will be adjusted from the franchise's share of the central pool," a board official said. "The board will deduct players' payments before settling the share of their central pool revenue."

According to the IPL player contracts, a tripartite agreement between the player, the franchise and the board, players' fees are supposed to be disbursed in four instalments. The first of 15% is due before the start of the season, the second of 50% before May 1, the third - a share of 20% - immediately after the conclusion of the Champions League Twenty20 and the remaining 15% before December 1.

The coaching staff's contracts, however, are bilateral, and it could not be ascertained whether the support staff's dues were cleared. In the past two seasons, the coaching staff's contract fees were settled after several reminders from the specialist coaches and rest of the support staff members.