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Pepsi’s pull-out from IPL not surprising at all: Chetan Sharma

The former India pacer added that this development was only due to vested interests and a few players.

Chetan Sharma © IANS
Chetan Sharma played 23 Tests and 65 ODIs between 1983 and 1994 © IANS

New Delhi: Former India fast bowler Chetan Sharma on Friday said that he was not at all surprised about PepsiCo Inc. wanting to withdraw its sponsorship from the Indian Premier League (IPL) because of its scam-tainted reputation, and added that this development was due only because of vested interests and few players. PepsiCo had expressed its interest to terminate association with the IPL because of the cash-rich league bringing ‘disrepute’ to the game. The 49-year-old said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Shashank Manohar needs to ensure clarity on the issue, and restore the clean image of Indian cricket. READ: Pepsi to terminate IPL contract

The BCCI maintained that PepsiCo’s pull-out from the T20 league is due to the company’s internal affairs, and not because of the scams that it has witnessed in the recent years. Former IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla brushed the whole affair aside by describing it as “not a big issue”, and that the board is currently in talks with other sponsors to settle the issue ‘amicably’.

He also said that he was surprised over the third and the final T20 international between India and South Africa being abandoned, as Kolkata’s Eden Gardens has the best drainage system in the country. The match was preceded by a downpour that left the outfield wet for a substantial amount of time, causing the match officials to ultimately call the game off with South Africa winning the three-match series 2-0.

(with inputs from ANI)

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