The sports channel signed up with the Pakistan Cricket Board to exclusively air all Test and one-day international matches played in the country till 2002. This will include the proposed India tour beginning in January 2001.

The contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board will give ESPN an additional 90 days of international cricket to telecast. With this acquisition, ESPN will enjoy unrivalled cricket coverage from seven out of the nine test-playing nations around the world.

ESPN could not bag the rights from the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India. While Sony Entertainment Television has the rights from the Sri Lanka Board, Doordarshan has bagged the five-year telecast rights for the international matches organised by the BCCI and played in the country. Recently, the public broadcaster asked for awhopping minimum price of $80 million from bidders wanting to acquire consolidated marketing rights of the cricket sporting event.

TWI will look after the production of the cricket matches. The cricket season begins in Pakistan with the Sri Lanka tour in February, 2000. Sri Lanka will play three test matches and three one-dayers starting February 13. Besides, England, India, New Zealand and Australia will play three test matches and three one-dayers each during the period till 2002.

ESPN Star Sports has launched a major initiative called "Cricket Mania 2000." The joint venture company between ESPN Inc and Star TV will telecast 33 Test matches and a maximum of 106 one-dayers in the year. Among the important teams involved are India, Australia, South Africa, West Indies and England.

Said Manu Sawhney, managing director of ESPN Software India, "The Pakistan cricket contract further demonstrates our commitment to cricket which remains unrivalled in the Indian subcontinent. We look forward to working withthe Pakistan Cricket Board and TWI to bring the best of international cricket live to Indian viewers."