The Wellington Firebirds' trip to the Champions League is now looking highly unlikely.

Wellington's cricketers are bracing for the worst, that their Indian dream is over and they won't see a cent of any Champions League Twenty20 money.

The Mumbai Mirror reported that Sunday's Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) working committee meeting agreed to scrap the tournament which began in 2009. The next step is for the BCCI to make it official with host broadcaster Star Sports, which was reportedly not keen to continue due to extensive financial losses.

Cricket Wellington chief executive Peter Clinton declined to comment until he received official word from New Zealand Cricket. Reports said Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa had been informed that Star Sports was reviewing its involvement, and South African franchise chief executives were bracing for a heavy financial hit.

If confirmed, it is devastating news for the Firebirds who booked their first visit to the big show by winning the New Zealand T20 final in December, and were well under way with planning their buildup programme. Coach Jamie Siddons prepared a detailed six-week budget, and the tournament loomed as a massive highlight for a number of the Firebirds' veterans.

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Cricket Players' Association boss Heath Mills said he hadn't heard anything definitive, but added it didn't look good. Even worse, if the tournament is scrapped there will be no compensation for the players, NZC or the other major associations who receive a US$500,000 participation fee, and an extra US$200,000 for making the main draw as Northern Districts did last year.

"I'd be very surprised if there's any compensation," Mills said. "It's an aspirational event for our players but they're told not to expect to be going until NZC receive an official invitation."

Half of any tournament prizemoney goes to the players, with the other half split into seven. Cricket Wellington would get two-sevenths and the other major associations one-seventh each, which means more headaches for the domestic teams who are already struggling for revenue.