BBC SPORT | Cricket | Specials | ICC Champions Trophy

The Indian cricket team has lost a �9.67m sponsorship contract after a row with the International Cricket Council over logos in use for the ICC Champions Trophy.

The Sahara India Group was supposed to be the official sponsor of the team until July 2004.

The ICC ruled that the team could not wear their usual Sahara branding because of an objection from South African Airlines (SAA), a key tournament sponsor.

It had initially approved a proposal under which their sponsor's logo would have been modified by replacing the name of Sahara with its owner, Subrata.

But SAA protested, saying green and orange strokes in the logo made it too similar to the Sahara brand, and the ICC changed its decision.

The Indian team took the field for their opening match against Zimbabwe on Saturday in plain blue shirts.

India v Zimbabwe latest

Batsmen Mohammed Kaif and Rahul Dravid
India played Zimbabwe in plain shirts
"This unreasonable, irrational and offensive condition, which is completely against national pride," said Sahara chairman Subrata Roy.

"Sahara will take all steps necessary to protect national pride and enforce its rights and will also initiate appropriate legal proceedings against all concerned," the company added in a statement.

The president of the Indian cricket board, Jagmohan Dalmiya, told the BBC that the decision of the Sahara group to withdraw its sponsorship was "unfortunate".

India's leading players only last week agreed to sign contracts agreeing not to promote rival sponsors during and shortly after the tournament, following a prolonged dispute.

Full story: Indian stars reach compromise

The Sahara group has interests in businesses ranging from financial services to aviation and media.

Additional reporting by Ayanjit Sen in Delhi


	Links to more ICC Champions Trophy stories