On Tuesday the BCCI scrapped the WSG deal, which ran until 2017, on grounds of “all-pervasive fraud” allegedly perpetrated by the agency when agreeing a new deal with Indian broadcaster Multi Screen Media for the domestic rights last year. In the course of the deal, it is alleged, WSG received an $80 million facilitation fee.

The BCCI claims it has only recently been made aware of the facilitation fee payment, a claim disputed by WSG and suspended IPL commissioner Lalit Modi. MSM has since agreed to pay the $80 million direct to the BCCI and is taking legal steps to recover the $25 million it has already paid to WSG. W

SG has since threatened to take the cricket board to court over the termination of the contract. In a strongly-worded letter to BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, WSG CEO Seamus O’Brien said the board’s decision to terminate its rights was based on little more than “unsupported and unsubstantiated allegations” and that they were victims of an “internal agenda”.

“We hereby reject in the strongest possible terms, either your rescission or termination of our agreement with you dated March 25, 2009, if for no other reason than you have no basis whatsoever on which to do so,” O’Brien wrote.