A pay dispute has broken out between Sri Lankan cricket board and its players after salaries of top cricketers were cut down by nearly 200 percent ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh.

The national cricket team is currently engaging in the series having refused to sign annual contracts and the deadlock could have a serious impact on the sport, The Island reported.

The players have been without central contracts since January.

As per the previous contract, a player in the top category earned USD 130,000.  However, after the latest pay cut, they could receive lesser than USD 45,000; which is a 200 percent salary cut.

The players are aghast at the withdrawal of the seniority payment incentive, that was in place in the previous contract.

Under the seniority payment scheme, a player with over 20 Tests would be paid an additional amount of USD 500, over 40 Tests an additional amount of USD 750, over 60 Tests a bonus of USD 1000, while someone who has represented the country in 80 Tests would earn an additional US$ 2000, for every game he plays, The Island said.

The lawyers of the national team cricketers are currently engaged with the administration over the pay dispute.

Sri Lanka Captain Dimuth Karunaratne told reporters they will take up the matter with the Sri Lanka Cricket after the Bangladesh Test series.