Mumbai, February 4
The Indian cricket team today lost its main sponsor after the Sahara group abruptly snapped ties with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on the grounds that the relationship between the two parties had become so strained that it was no longer possible for them to continue in business.

"The decision we took to end ties was not a bad one at all. We had enough of it. Any relationship does not break on one single issue only. We had a long relationship. It has to do with many issues and has happened continuously," Subroto Roy who heads the Sahara Group told reporters here today.

The Lucknow-based group has been sponsoring the Indian cricket team for the past 11 years. The break came over what Sahara said was unfair treatment meted out to it regarding its participation in the IPL.

"There were so many genuine things we had but they did not give heed to such a small thing like opening the bid. They did not open the bid. Rules were broken for other teams but we were not given natural justice," he said.

Roy went on to say that his attempt to resolve the issues with the help of arbitrators was also rebuffed by the country's main cricketing body. According to Roy, the Sahara group had bid for the Pune cricket franchise on the premise that the IPL would comprise of 94 matches which were subsequently reduced. "It was 94 matches calculation, the gate money to collection of advertisement money would have been 25 per cent more. We have paid 25 per cent more. Differential amount is 25 per cent of the total amount," he said.

The Sahara group chief also added that it was pulling out Pune Warriors from the forthcoming season of IPL. Roy said the funds earmarked for the Indian cricket team would be better spent on developing sports in rural India. Earlier in the day, the Sahara group issued a media statement citing a number of 'injustices' meted out to it by the BCCI.

"Our first entry into the IPL was thwarted in 2008 when we were disqualified, owing to a small technicality on the whims and fancies of BCCI. Yet our bid was not opened," the statement said. "Last year, Sahara entered the IPL on the basis of information in the media and everywhere else that 94 matches will be played among 10 teams. The bid price was accordingly calculated, but only 74 matches were played. We are still pursuing continuously with the BCCI to refund the extra bid money proportionately. It has been denied on the basis of strict rules," the statement added.

Sahara maintained that as a new comer in the IPL tournament, it wanted a fresh open auction of all players so that Pune Warriors could be on par with other teams. But its request was denied. "We were deprived of natural justice," the statement said.

The final straw seems to be the unavailability of its skipper Yuvraj Singh who is suffering from a tumour in his lungs. Sahara wanted the BCCI to let it add the price paid to Singh to the overall purse available for the auction but this request too was turned down. The cricket board has reacted to Sahara group's public break-up by promising to reach out to the sponsor.

"We understand that Sahara Adventure Sports Limited has issued a statement in which it indicates an intention to withdraw from its involvement in Indian cricket, including as regards the Indian Premier League. We intend to contact Sahara Adventure Sports Limited as soon as practicable to clarify its intentions," BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.

However the BCCI said it was firm that Sahara would not be allowed to increase its auction purse from US $ 1.6 million to US $ 3.4 million.