Kolkata: The persistent deadlock over the sponsorship issue deepened further with the International Cricket Council (ICC) demanding damages from the Indian cricket board irrespective of whether it sends it best squad or second-string side for the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.

"BCCI has been called up on to pay damages irrespective of whether it sends its main team with the players currently in UK or an alternative squad," the board president Jagmohan Dalmiya said in a statement.

The message prompted Dalmiya to convene an emergent meeting of the BCCI Working Committee on Saturday (September 7) in New Delhi to discuss, "whether the damages ranging from $ 10 million to $ 26 million could be paid, whether the board had the resources to pay such huge damages."

The meeting would also decide "whether the damages payable in foreign exchange would be acceptable to the government of India".

PTI