The BCCI has withdrawn the controversial SMS contest that had earned a lot of flak from the Indian sports minister, M.S.Gill for its betting nature.

According a senior BCCI official, there had not been a formal complaint from any quarters, but the withdrawal happened because of the minister's views.

Only in the previous week, had Gill caused a flutter by saying that the game amounted to betting and gambling, something that is illegal in India. He said, "This is viewed as 'openly encouraging gambling and betting', which official bodies do not resort to, even in countries where betting is legal"