Sahara will continue as team India's sponsor

Just an hour before the player auction for IPL5, Sahara group, the sponsors of Indian National Team and owners of Yuvraj Singh led “Sahara Pune Warriors” , volunteerly withdrew from the auction. When quizzed my the media, Sahara Adventure Sports limited’s Managing Director, Mr. Shushanto Roy released a report which quoted “We requested the BCCI on the basis of the fact that we have only one Indian marquee player, that we be allowed to add price of Shri Yuvraj Singh in our auction purse, during the 4th February auction because we had later taken Shri Sourav Ganguly at 0.4 million. Again, we have been denied on the basis of the rule book.” The report clearly highlighted the cold war happening between BCCI and Sahara group due to BCCI’s partiality act of favouring certain franchised.Sahara group also added that they will quit sponsoring Indian National Cricket Team and asked BCCI to hand over Pune Warriors’ ownership to next highest bidder.

Sahara continues to have ties with BCCI

Few days later, giving the hand of support to Sahara was former IPL Chairman Mr. Lalith Modi. He boldly declared that auction held for Andrew Flintoff ( bought by CSK ) and Kieron Pollard ( bought by MI ) had BCCI’s part in making sure that both got into respective franchise as mention earlier.

However, BCCI declared his reported as groundless rumours. It also said that they will try to have a round of talk with Sahara group. BCCI and Sahara was scheduled to meet on Feb 12. But first round of talk didn’t go in favour of the country’s cricket authority board. Media began to goof it up. On the second round of talk on Feb 16, 2o12, Sahara decided to patch up again with BCCI stating that BCCI has nodded affirmatively for their request and hence worth will be sponsoring the national team and remain as the owners of Pune Warriors.

In the joint report released by Mr N.Srinivasan ( President, BCCI ) and Subatra Roy Sahara ( Chairman, Sahara India ) listed 8 requests of Sahara group that were accepted by BCCI. Listed viz

1. To extend the trading window, which was due to close on Friday 17 February, until Wednesday 29 February 2012 to give Pune Warriors India the opportunity to have successful negotiations with other franchises as it looks to strengthen its squad.
2. Re-activation of the Auction Purse of Pune Warriors India so that it can take a number of players, subject to the squad composition regulations.
3. BCCI and Sahara agree to start the arbitration proceedings initiated by Sahara through appointment of an arbitrator to address Sahara’s claim for a reduction in franchise fee for 74 matches.
4. BCCI does not have any issues with Sahara seeking a strategic partner in the Pune Warriors India franchise, subject to terms of the Franchise Agreement.
5. In respect of their request to sign overseas players who were not included in the Auction Register, subject to the relevant player regulations, BCCI agrees to the request subject to the views of all other franchise
6. Sahara has requested for one of the play off matches scheduled to be played in Bengaluru to be played in Pune. The right to host the Play Off matches is awarded to the finalists from previous edition, in this case Royal Challengers Bangalore. BCCI is in principle agreeable to host one of the Play Off in the new Pune stadium subject to the consent of RCB.
7. Sahara has requested to furnish the Bank Guarantee against the Franchisee fee in two installments; BCCI will consider it at the next available opportunity.
8. Notwithstanding the recent working committee decision rejecting 5 foreign players in the playing XI, in consideration of the exceptional circumstance and the non-availability of Mr. Yuvraj Singh, Sahara has offered to obtain the consent of all the franchises for the submission to the BCCI.