A senior IMG official said such action was likely as BCCI had not fielded four of its top players -- Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja, Anil Kumble and Robin Singh -- in the current series against Pakistan.

``The part of the agreement which binds IMG and BCCI -- the Pakistan Board is the third party -- stipulates that the best teams should come to Toronto. It has not been the case.''

``Certainly, the payment due to BCCI will be withheld. As for legal course, we are still exploring the possibility,'' he said on condition of anonymity.

``IMG has written a series of letters to the BCCI, at least 10 of them, requesting them to send across only their top team, besides other issues but the latter have been quite insensitive,'' the official said.

The agreementreportedly binds IMG, whose television wing, Trans World International, is covering the event, to provide two million dollars to BCCI towards sending its `top team' for Sahara Cup for five years. ``Compare this with the pittance they get for sending their team to Sharjah annually-- only $ 200,000,'' he added.

He criticised BCCI for the whole episode beginning with division of top players between teams for Commonwealth Games and Sahara Cup and the subsequent events.