TWI awarded production rights

Trans World International, which handled Indian cricket's TV production from 1993 to 1999, have been awarded the rights to produce the telecast during the Test and one-day series against Pakistan. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India have yet to decide on the award of satellite rights overseas, with Prasar Bharati claiming that they would also be telecasting the match on DD Sports, a satellite channel.

TWI were granted the production rights after an emergency session of the BCCI working committee. Addressing the media afterwards, Ranbir Singh Mahendra, the BCCI president, said, "After evaluating the offers received by the BCCI for the television production for the series, the members in the meeting unanimously decided to award the rights to TWI. TWI's offer is $1.5million which we are negotiating."

The BCCI however did not agree with Prasar Bharati's assertion that the Madras High Court order that granted them telecast rights extended to the non-terrestrial arena as well. "Prasar Bharti is saying that they have been authorised by the Madras High Court with regard to the terrestrial and satellite rights in the country," said Mahendra. "But the working committee, after consultations with BCCI legal counsel Mr UN Banerjee, did not agree with the interpretation of Prasar Bharti.

"The members authorised the BCCI president to take a final decision on this issue and I, along with one or two other members and lawyers will talk to Prasar Bharti." Sony are considered to be frontrunners in the satellite stakes, with a bid estimated to be in the region of $40million.

Meanwhile, the decision to award production to TWI has provoked a furious response from Nimbus Sports, who claim that their bid was more competitive. Nimbus have written to the BCCI, claiming their "state of preparedness to deliver a world-class production". They have also pointed out the fact that their bid - $1.29million - was much lower than TWI's. Nimbus have asked their lawyers to consider legal action.

The last-minute nature of the parleys has meant that Pakistan's only warm-up game before the first Test, a match against the Board President's XI at Dharamsala, will not be telecast.