DD to telecast Indo-Pak Abu Dhabi ODIs

Vijayawada, Apr 12 (UNI) Prasar Bharati (PB) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K S Sarma today said the upcoming two one-day international cricket matches between India and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi would be telecast live on Doordarshan as well as Zee Sports.

The entire proceeds of the first ODI on April 18 will go for the relief work of October 8 earthquake victims while the earnings from the next day's second ODI will be shared equally by the two boards.

Zee has recently bagged the television, radio and broadband rights for India's overseas matches.

Mr Sarma said Prasar Bharati and Zee Sports have formed a joint marketing body and under the revenue sharing formula, 25 per cent of revenue earned through the two matches will be alloted to the Corporation and 75 per cent to Zee Sports.

He also said that the Braodcasting Corporation will not bid for telecast of India's overseas matches and confine to bidding for domestic matches only.

The CEO said Boards like Pakistan Cricket Board put conditions like placing of bids at least for five years, if the Corporation was to make bids for India's overseas matches.

''If we place bids for the cricket matches played outside India, we should also telecast matches involving Ireland and Hongkong, which would be low profile encounters and cannot take risk with public money,'' he said.

Mr Sarma said the Corporation earned more revenue through advertisements if Indian players play well and win matches.

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