Pune Warriors India entered the IPL with a bang and left just as abruptly. Sahara Group Sports Limited won the Pune franchise bid in March 2010 for ₹17.02 billion (about $370 million) — the highest bid in IPL history at the time — but the team lasted only three seasons.
The trouble started over franchise fees. Sahara had bid based on an assumption of 94 matches in the 2011 season, but the BCCI later reduced the season to 74 matches. Sahara demanded a corresponding reduction in its annual franchise fee, and when the dispute wasn’t resolved, the group withdrew the team from the IPL in May 2013. The BCCI formally terminated the franchise five months later, in October 2013.
Quick Facts
| Team | Pune Warriors India (defunct) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Sahara Group Sports Limited |
| Winning Bid | ₹17.02 billion (~$370 million), March 2010 |
| Active Seasons | 2011-2013 |
| Withdrew | May 2013 |
| Formally Terminated | October 2013 |
Ownership History
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Sahara Group Sports Limited wins the Pune IPL franchise bid for ₹17.02 billion, the highest bid in IPL history at that point |
| 2011 | Pune Warriors India begins IPL play; the BCCI reduces the season from an anticipated 94 matches to 74, prompting Sahara to seek a lower franchise fee |
| 2013 | With the fee dispute unresolved, Sahara withdraws Pune Warriors India from the IPL in May |
| 2013 | BCCI formally terminates the franchise in October, ending the team’s three-season run |
Key Ownership Highlights
- Pune Warriors India’s record-setting $370 million bid in 2010 made its financial collapse just three years later especially notable within IPL history.
- The dispute centered specifically on the mismatch between the assumed 94-match season used to calculate the bid and the BCCI’s later reduction to 74 matches, rather than any performance or scandal-related issue.
- Pune has since had another IPL franchise (Rising Pune Supergiant, 2016-2017), also since discontinued, making Pune one of the few IPL cities to have hosted two separate defunct franchises.
FAQ
Who owned Pune Warriors India?
Sahara Group Sports Limited owned the franchise from its 2010 acquisition until its 2013 withdrawal.
Why did Pune Warriors India leave the IPL?
Sahara withdrew the team in 2013 following an unresolved dispute over franchise fees, after the BCCI reduced the number of matches in the 2011 season from the figure Sahara had based its bid on.
Related Reading
Pune Warriors India shares its brief history with Kochi Tuskers Kerala — both were early-2010s IPL franchises that folded within a few seasons.