KARACHI, July 29: Asia’s leading sports channel ESPN/Star Monday announced securing exclusive rights to broadcast cricket matches from the best centres of the world until 2008.

The channel will televise live matches from Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe until 2008. During that period, it would show more than 100 Tests and around 220 one-day internationals.

Ironically, Pakistan didn’t figure in the elite group though the channel would be showing its matches from Kenya later next month.

Pakistan Cricket Board’s contract with TransWorld International expires next year in March and the indications are that Sharjah-based Ten Sports would get the new contract.

Ten Sports have the rights to show matches from Sri Lanka.

Last month, the PCB invited leading broadcasters, including an Indian channel, to submit their bids in Sharjah. The official announcement is, to be made in September.