“In some cases, the failure to pay has been paired with threatening and intimidating behavior by the national governing bodies towards player groups,” the WCA said in a statement on Wednesday.

Pakinomist understands that players from five of the 20 participating teams – eight of whom were associate members of the ICC – have not been paid their dues.

“We are extremely concerned about a number of countries that are still yet to pay players their prize money from the men’s T20 World Cup held in the USA and the Caribbean earlier this year, and particularly with a number of threats against players standing up for them themselves and their colleagues in some cricketing circles,” said Tom Moffat, WCA chief executive. “We appreciate the ICC’s efforts to date to ensure that the players involved are paid in full and are confident that the ICC will continue to take all appropriate action against boards that do not and to enforce their own terms of participation.

“Every player in our sport should receive the full benefits they are entitled to and should have a safe environment to play, work and advocate for themselves and their colleagues off the field through a players union if they choose.”

The statement was released after the WCA board met this week in Singapore for its annual general meeting, where it also approved the establishment of a Global Player Hardship Fund.

The fund, the WCA said, is designed to support international players in need “who are not covered by the game’s existing national framework of support”.

JP Van Wyk, the WCA’s head of welfare and education, said: “Professional athletes face unique challenges in their short careers and we know from the great work that many players’ associations do at national level that tailored player welfare support structures have supported players in their time of need We also know that in an increasingly global actor labor market, there are notable gaps in the current system to help actors in extreme cases of need.

“While this fund will operate within certain limitations and will complement domestic provision, we are confident that it will help the current and recently retired international cricketers who are currently under-supported and vulnerable.”

The fund will be managed by “an oversight group” made up of experts and players’ union representatives.

Meanwhile, Heath Mills and Sana Mir have been reappointed as executive chairman and independent director respectively.