Pune, May 8: BCCI President Sharad Pawar today said the Cricket Board has nothing to do with the cheerleaders, who have earned their fair share of attention and criticism in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

"The girls have been brought by the franchisees and BCCI is in no way concerned with the whole exercise," he said when reporters drew his attention to the controversy surrounding the presence of scantily-clad cheerleaders at the IPL venues.

Pawar went on to add in a lighter vein "since cricket at the IPL fixtures are proving to be a such a big draw, the franchisees can think of withdrawing what is perceived to be an added attraction."

He also hailed the role of IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, saying he gave effect to the concept that has caught the imagination of the entire cricketing world.

Pawar said one of the positives that had come out of the BCCI-backed IPL was the shaping of the young talent available in the country.

"We have made it mandatory to choose four under-19 players in each team and these upcoming cricketers are able to learn and hone their skills by brushing shoulders with international stars," he noted.