Sahara sole sponsors
of Indian team
Signing the biggest deal in the world of cricket, the Sahara Group on Saturday became the new sponsors of the
Indian cricket team for the next three years.
The deal is "the biggest of its kind in the world, eclipsing the one between Vodafone and the English cricket
board or the new multi-million dollar Ansett team sponsorship
deal with the Aussie board," Board of Control for Cricket in India officials said.
At a press conference in Bombay, BCCI president A C Muthiah
said Sahara India will replace the previous sponsors
ITC and Pepsi following the contract given to the International Management Group.
Board officials and representatives of Sahara India and
IMG, however, refused to confirm reports that the deal
is worth over Rs 1 billion.
Sahara's sponsorship also includes the logo on the sleeves of the players ensuring a single corporate sponsor for the team.
Muthiah said, "We were happy Sahara India were interested
in sponsoring the Indian cricket team after ITC pulled out.
"We (BCCI) have had a long association with both Sahara
India and IMG in the past and we hope to continue this good
relationship with them," he said.
BCCI secretary J Y Lele, who too spoke at the press meet,
which started an hour late, said: "Our team has been doing very
well in the recent past and with Sahara sponsoring it in India
and abroad, I am sure we will do much better and perhaps win
the next World Cup, to be held in South Africa in 2003."
Muthiah immediately chipped in saying: "Whatever Lele predicts
comes true, and I hope he is right this time as well."
The board chief was obviously referring to Lele's
'infamous' prediction of a whitewash ahead of the Indian
team's tour of Australia in 1999-2000.
Queried about India playing the Asian Test championship
match against Pakistan in Pakistan, Muthiah said, "We agreed to play in Pakistan as the
tournament is on reciprocal basis.
"The Indian government had clearly said we should not play
Pakistan at non-regular venues and in bilateral series, but
could play them when more than two countries are in the fray.
We agreed to play in the ATC as two other teams -- Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh -- are taking part, apart from India and Pakistan.
"If the government decides to send the team to Pakistan
then preference would be given to the ATC and we will not play the
indoor one-day three-match series in Australia as the dates of
the above tournaments clash."
PHOTOGRAPH: Jewella Miranda
Mail Cricket Editor
