COLOMBO, Jan 20: Negotiations between Sri Lanka’s cricket board and players remained deadlocked on Monday after the two failed to agree to contract terms for the World Cup starting in three weeks.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka said the dispute had yet to be resolved, despite continuing discussions, since it missed a Friday deadline set by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“We haven’t been able to come to a resolution. Hopefully this will be resolved. If not, then we will inform the ICC and get advice and then proceed accordingly,” cricket board chief executive Anura Tennekoon said.

The cricket board said it could not meet a player demand for 20 percent of its revenue from the World Cup and was instead offering the players 10 percent of revenue and an additional match incentive fee.

The board says it cannot afford the 20 percent without jeopardising the development of younger players.

Last week ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed warned Sri Lanka’s cricket board it could face trouble it it failed to return the tournament contracts by the deadline.

The 14-team tournament begins in southern Africa on Feb 8 with the final in Johannesburg on March 23.—Reuters