The high profile Sri Lankan delegation that was supposed to sign a lucrative bail out deal with the Indian Cricket Board returned home empty handed Sunday night after Indian Premier League Convener Lalit Modi refused any relief package to the cash strapped Sri Lankan board.

Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge had nominated a delegation that included SLC’s CEO, Duleep Mendis, Interim Committee member Sidat Wettimuny, representative of the Cricketers’ Association Graeme Labrooy and Sports Ministry Secretary S. Liyanagama for talks with the Indian official in Bangkok, Thailand, where a three day meeting of the IPL franchise owners was going on.

Modi, who had promised Labrooy a US$ 40 million bailout, during a previous meeting between the two, if the Sri Lanka board cleared a window for the Indian board conducted IPL and Champions League Tournaments for ten years, had gone back on his word and refused any financial support at Sunday’s meeting.

Before the team left for negotiations with Modi, the Sports Minister had ensured the cancelation of Sri Lanka’s proposed tour of England that clashed with the second season of the Indian Premier League tournament next year.

Modi also had threatened to pull out the two promised tours by India in 2009 and 2010 and had accused Sri Lanka of supporting the rebel Indian Cricket League. Recently, the Sri Lankan board agreed to allow five players who represent ICL to play domestic cricket on request by the players.

The Sri Lankan officials are perplexed as to why the Vice-President of the Indian board invited a team of Sri Lankans to Bangkok for negotiations.

Cricket officials didn’t rule out a possible sabotage for the highly lucrative deal by interested parties in cricket administration at home who have opposed former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga’s elevation as the Chairman of the Cricket Interim Committee.