The scandal-hit Indian Premier League on Tuesday "suffered yet another blow" with the Sahara Group-owned Pune Warriors India "withdrawing from the cash-rich event" due to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to "encash the team's bank guarantee following a prolonged financial dispute," according to the PTI. Sahara, which bought the franchise for Rs 1,700 crore in '10, said it was "disgusted" by the BCCI's attitude toward it and will not rejoin the league even if the entire franchise fee was waved off, giving "a new twist to the already troubled league which has seen a spate of controversies since its inception." The Sahara Group said in a statement, "...We would not keep the IPL franchisee even if the entire franchisee fee is waved off. It is firm and final decision of Sahara to withdraw from IPL." Sahara Group said that it "was tempted to withdraw from the Indian cricket team's sponsorship also but refrained from doing so in the interest of the players." The group said, "There is a very strong urge in us to withdraw from the Indian Cricket Team Sponsorship from today only. But, interest of the players will suffer if we do so" (THE HINDU, 5/21).
