September 26, 2006	Tuesday	Ramazan 2, 1427

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KARACHI, Sept 25: The International Cricket Council (ICC) plans to sell media and sponsorship rights for events from late 2007 to 2015 when it meets broadcasters and agencies at its headquarters in Dubai on Tuesday.

The eight-year period includes deliberations on 18 tournaments under the aegis of ICC, including two ICC Cricket World Cups in 2011 and 2015 and possibly three ICC Champions Trophy events.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh won a joint bid to host the 2011 World Cup. Australia and New Zealand are scheduled to co-host the 2015 edition.

Apart from these two prestigious championships, the said period also covers ICC Twenty20 World Championships, in South Africa (2007) and England (during ICC’s centenary year in 2009).

The eight-year timeframe also features three World Cup qualifying tournaments – the ICC Trophy – four Under-19 World Cup events, plus, for the first time, Women’s World Cup with two editions slated to be staged in Australia (2009) and India (2013).

Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, said on Monday that the meetings are crucial for the game’s future value. “The sale of ICC’s commercial and broadcast rights makes this a hugely significant and exciting time for cricket.”

Speed further said: “It also provides an opportunity to place cricket on a sound financial footing for the next eight years. It will provide all our members with the chance to both sustain and grow the game.”

He also assured that the whole process of these meetings would have only aim in mind – securing the best deal for cricket.

“We have been encouraged by the expressions of interest we have received among broadcasters and agencies. We are pretty confident of getting the best ever deal,” he remarked.