NEW DELHI (Reuters):

THE INTERNATIONAL Cricket Council (ICC) warned the Indian cricket board yesterday that its refusal to sign a commercial document for global events could jeopardise its joint World Cup planned for 2011.

The cash-rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is refusing to sign a Members Participation Agreement (MPA) needed from national boards for finalising the ICC's sponsorship deal for events from 2007-2015.

The Indian board wants certain clauses to be amended, saying it would otherwise badly affect its own commercial deals reported to top US$1 billion for the next four years.

ICC president Percy Sonn has criticised the Indian board for not acting on the issue for six months, until the deadline was near, and said the BCCI should raise all its objections within a week.

"Despite the fact the other members involved in the process are now in a position to sign the MPA, the Indian board has just this week announced it has problems with the agreement's content," he said in a statement.