The rebel Indian Cricket League is struggling in the current recession with next month's scheduled World Series Twenty20 tournament cancelled and payments to players put on hold until the management completes a stringent performance review that could lead to downgrading of payments and even sackings.
Himanshu Mody, the business head of the ICL, says the non-availability of Pakistan players was the other major reason for the cancellation of the tournament, which will be replaced by one involving Indian players.
The ICL has terminated the contracts of Chris Cairns and Dinesh Mongia, who were asked to leave midway through the last season.
The official line is that the two have been sacked because of non-performance.
Significantly, the ICL is undertaking a major review of its existing contracts and it is understood that the performances of 18 out of 85 Indian players and 15-16 from a pool of 70 foreign players are under the scanner. Players who fail to perform will either be released or asked to sign up again for a lesser fee.
There are a half a dozen New Zealanders playing in the ICL, including Craig McMillan, Shane Bond and Chris Harris.
A number of foreign players have already said their payments have been delayed.
