BCCI's Working Committee to decide on Sahara dispute

The top brass of Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) and the aggrieved Sahara Group, which had severed ties with the board and had pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL), met here today to discuss all outstanding issues amid indications that a breakthrough has been achieved.

Both parties have agreed to discuss the matter further in tomorrow's BCCI Working Committee meeting in Chennai but did not disclose about what transpired in today's crucial meeting.

The meeting, it is learnt, was held in a cordial atmosphere and both parties have made significant headway in breaking the stalemate which prompted the corporate giant to withdraw sponsorship of the Indian cricket team and also pull out of the IPL.

"Sahara and BCCI met today and discussed all the outstanding issues, and it was agreed that the subject will be further discussed in the BCCI Working Committee meeting tomorrow," a joint statement issued after the meeting said.

"The interaction was focused on the interest of Indian cricket, including the IPL," it added.

Sahara Group was headed by its supremo Subroto Roy while the BCCI President N Srinivasan, secretary Sanjay Jagdale, treasurer Ajay Shirke and IPL chief Rajiv Shukla represented the Board in the meeting which lasted almost one and a half hours.

A top source said that some of the decisions have to be now ratified by the Working Committee which meets in Chennai tomorrow.

"Since some of the decisions have to be ratified by the Working Committee, they were not announced today," the source said.

It is also learnt that Sahara's request to get fringe players from other franchises on loan could be considered after discussion with other teams and stakeholders.