NEW DELHI, Jan 18: Indian cricket great Kapil Dev took the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its oficial sponsors to court on Saturday over the contentious players’ terms for next month’s World cup.

Kapil, a former World Cup-wining captain, moved the Delhi High Court to ensure India’s top cricketers took part in the tournament to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya from Feb 8 to March 23.

His public interest litigation has also been signed by former Indian cricket chief Niren Salve and ex-international Madan Lal, who was part of India’s World Cup-winning side in 1983.

“Since the controversy shows no signs of being resolved, we decided to move court,” Kapil said. “We have to back our players.”

India’s entire World Cup squad has objected to the ICC ruling which prohibits players from endorsing non-official sponsors before, during and after the World Cup.

The ICC is expected to rule whether the amended contracts signed by the Indian players entitles them to take part in the World Cup.

If the players are banned, the litigation wants the federal finance ministry to withdraw all tax benefits to the tournament’s official sponsors hailing from India.

At least three of the four major World Cup sponsors — Pepsi, Hero Honda and LG Electronics — have major interests in the lucrative Indian market.

“The Indian players have to be shown consideration since almost 80 percent of the sponsorship money for the Wold Cup comes from India,” Madan Lal said.

Some of India’s best known lawyers, former law minister Arun Jaitley, Kapil Sibal and Harish Salve, will argue the litigation on behalf of Kapil and the other plaintiffs.

The Delhi High Court will hear the case on Monday.

Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, who has backed the players in the row, declined to comment, saying the matter was sub-judice.—AFP