Indian domestic matches to be telecast live

The Indian board has decided to telecast some domestic cricket matches live from the 2006-07 season. "At least 70 days of domestic cricket will be shown live on television," Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said. "We will choose the important matches which would be broadcast."

The matches, involving Ranji, Deodhar, Duleep and the Challenger Trophy -- comprising 93 first-class games, 83 one-day games and a number of Twenty20 games -- would be marketed to provide fillip to domestic cricket.

"It will encourage the domestic teams because when the matches will be telecast live on television they will get sponsorships also," Shah said. Asked which channel would telecast the matches, Shah said the rights were with Nimbus and they would decide about it. "I don't know because the right are with Nimbus and they will decide about it. We will be able to give a detailed information only after 10-15 days."

There has also been speculation that Nimbus would soon launch a channel of its own and the matches would be shown on it.