The Sri Lanka cricket team has been performing well recently, showing strong results on the field. However, behind the scenes, there are serious problems affecting the people who make it possible for fans to watch these matches from home—the production crew and local commentators. These hardworking individuals are still waiting to be paid for their services.

According to sources, many of the crew members who work for Innovative Production Group (IPG), a company led by Anil Mohan that handles the production rights for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), haven’t been paid since the Lanka Premier League (LPL) ended in July. This includes those involved in broadcasting and commentary.

What makes the situation even worse is that Sri Lanka has hosted several international teams since then, including big names like India, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Despite these high-profile events, those responsible for bringing the matches to screens are still waiting for their payments.

Several crew members, who preferred to remain anonymous, have expressed their frustration. “We don’t know what’s going on. We’re working on the current series against New Zealand, hoping we’ll finally get paid after this, but there’s no clear answer,” they said.

The production team reportedly includes around 40 people, including commentators, who have all been waiting months for their pay. Attempts to get a statement from IPG’s owner were unsuccessful, but Sri Lanka Cricket’s CEO, Ashley de Silva, confirmed that IPG is aware of the issue and has promised to resolve it soon. However, IPG still owes a large part of the LPL Rights Fee to Sri Lanka Cricket.

“There’s still some money left to be paid,” said CEO de Silva. “But there’s a penalty for the delay, and we believe they’ll settle it soon, along with the penalty.”

IPG isn’t only responsible for production; they also hold the Event Rights for the Lanka Premier League. The latest edition of the LPL concluded in July, with Jaffna Kings winning their fourth title. But it’s not just the production crew facing payment issues—players from the LPL, including those from Jaffna Kings, are also waiting to be fully paid.

Charith Asalanka, captain of Jaffna Kings, and his teammates are still due a significant part of their contract fees. According to sources within SLC, around US$200,000 remains unpaid to players and support staff. When players complained about the delay in payments, SLC had to step in and distribute the prize money among the players instead of giving it to the franchise.

“When we found out about the issue, we decided not to give the prize money to the franchise. Instead, we split it among the players,” said a senior SLC official.

While Sri Lanka’s cricket team continues to shine on the field, those behind the scenes are still waiting for their financial situation to improve.