BCCI To Decide On Chinese Sponsorship In IPL Keeping In Mind "Best Interest Of Cricket, Country"

A source within the BCCI has revealed to ANI that the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision regarding Chinese sponsorship in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be made keeping in mind the 'best interest of cricket and country.

BCCI Logo and IPL Trophy (Fotojet Collage)

Amidst the heated stand-off between India and China with the two Asian neighbours at loggerheads over the border dispute along the Line Of Actual Control (LAC)  at the Ladakh sector, a source within the BCCI has revealed to ANI that the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision regarding Chinese sponsorship in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be made keeping in mind the 'best interest of cricket and country. "As of now, no date has been decided for the IPL review meeting. There are other issues that BCCI is looking into. The franchises are entitled to their opinion. We will make a decision which will be in the best interest of cricket and country. The meeting will take place once we work on all surrounding issues of IPL," the source told ANI. In a significant move, the Indian government has already banned 59 Chinese based apps including Tik Tok and UC Browser, which many are viewing as both an economic and strategic measure by the PM Modi-led Union govt to boycott China at all fronts. It is notable that the  BCCI gets Rs 440 crore annually from Vivo – the principal sponsor of the cash-rich Indian Premier League – in a five-year deal that ends in 2022. Another Chinese mobile brand, Oppo, was the main sponsor of the Indian cricket team till September last year when Bengaluru-based digital education platform firm Byju’s replaced it. The recent developments on account of the build up by the Chinese troops along the LAC and the Galwan Valley incident have led to the BCCI mulling over reassessment of the existing sponsorship commitments with Chinese firms in the IPL, amid a nationwide call to boycott Chinese goods and firms in India. The ever growing sentiment among the citizens of the nation to boycott Chinese goods has come to the fore ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to become Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and use ‘Made in India’ products. With the tragic killing of 20 Indian brave hearts in a never seen before physical altercation with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley region in Ladakh,led to anti-China sentiment getting even more stronger strongest. Watch Video: Amid India-China tensions, IPL mulls terminating Vivo contract The Ministry of Information Technology had said in a release that it decided to block the 59 apps in view of the information available that "they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order". Law, Electronics and Information Technology Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the government has banned the apps for safety, security, defence, sovereignty, and integrity of India.