David Warner and Steve Smith yet to see their Global T20 Canada league contracts

Other marquee players too, have not been given enough details and briefing about the competition.

David Warner and Steve Smith (Twitter)

The announced Global T20 Canada League has hit a roadblock as the doubts emerge over the readiness of the competition for its starting date. Neither the fixtures have been announced for the scheduled tournament yet, nor there is an official broadcaster on board with its start on 28th June just a few weeks away.

Now, according to the reports coming in, the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner and others are yet to see their official contracts for the event. Recently in a draft, the list of marquee players that also includes Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Shahid Afridi, Darren Sammy, Lasith Malinga, Sunil Narine, David Miller and Dwayne Bravo, were drafted into different squads. 

According to Sydney Morning Herald, the marquee players have demanded fees up to $100,000 for the 18-day long tournament to be played in Toronto. The investors too, have spent around  $10 million to $20 million to start off this new league. 

Tournament director Jason Harper has been reported saying that in the next "12 to 24 hours" all the 96 players that have been roped in will be given clearance about their contracts and will be briefed about their flight details too and the ticket details will also be provided on the tournament website "as soon as it becomes available"

The organisers of the league have started communicating with Cricket Canda, the host national board for the competition, to ensure no financial problems arrive and for that, they've asked them to set money aside in the central purse. 

Jason Harper has further added, "CC is overseeing a lot of the payables for the competition. Everything has to go through their approvals - from contract negotiations to having money upfront for player salaries,"

There is definitely "race against the clock" for the organisers and administrators but Harper reiterates, "If we were going to a place that wasn't a sports town, the logistics would be a lot more difficult but Toronto is a sports city, it will be difficult right up to the last moment but we'll deliver it. You can bet your last dollar that it will be delivered."

(Inputs from Sydney Morning Herald)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 09 Jun, 2018

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