Threat to pull-out taken out of context - Modi

Lalit Modi, the vice-president of the Indian board and the chairman of its marketing committee, has clarified that his statements regarding India pulling out of future ICC events were quoted out of context. "I was asked what would happen in the worst-case scenario and stated the obvious," he said while addressing the media on the eve of the India-England game. "We're already having several discussions with the ICC and will continue to when Malcolm Speed arrives in India tomorrow.

"We're trying to sort things out. You can't go by worst-case situations."

Earlier this week Modi accused the ICC of bullying on the issue of signing the Members' Participation Agreement (MPA) covering major one-day competitions.

"It is a unilateral agreement which gives the ICC the right to modify and amend it any time they wish." Modi told the BBC on Friday. "I've never seen an agreement in which one of the signatories has that right. We don't have to play all tournaments. If things don't work out, we could choose not to play in the Champions Trophy and the World Cup."

Though Modi affirmed that the BCCI was working towards a solution with the ICC, he warned that discussions would not be simple: "If the BCCI does not sign the MPA, then the ICC's income would be reduced to 5% of what it currently is". According to Modi, there were other member countries supporting the BCCI.

The ICC have set about finalising negotiations with television broadcasters for the rights to global events eight years beyond 2007. Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, responded to Modi's earlier comments, which he termed "inflammatory and provocative", and said he would be pleased to meet with him so that the various issues could be discussed.