Signing the biggest three year deal in the world of cricket, Sahara India Parivar on Saturday became the new sponsors for the Indian cricket team for home and abroad. The deal would be "biggest of its kind in the world, eclipsing the deal between Vodafone and the English Cricket Board or the new multi million Australian dollar Ansett team sponsorship deal with Aussie board", board officials said.

Announcing the new deal at a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India AC Muthiah said that the Sahara India would be replacing the previous two sponsors Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) and Pepsi following the contract given to the International Management Group (IMG)-TWI.

The board officials as well as Sahara India and IMG representatives declined to disclose the exact sponsorship amount and said the unofficial figures (Rs 90 crore to Rs 150 crore) quoted as sponsorship deal were mere speculation, Sahara officials said.

Sahara's sponsorship covers all Tests and one day internationals for a period of three years. There will also be company sponsorship on the non-leading arm to ensure that there would be a single corporate sponsor for the team.

Muthiah told reporters that the board was looking forward to a long and fruitful association with new sponsors. He said, "we were happy to know that Sahara India were interested in sponsoring the Indian cricket team after the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) pulled out due to certain regulations by the Indian government.

"In fact we (board) have had a long association with both Sahara India and IMG in the past and we hope to continue this good relationship with them", he said.

BCCI secretary JY Lele, who too spoke at the press conference which started an hour late, said the board was very happy to be associated with Sahara India, after the Indian teams were sponsored by ITC and Pepsi in the recent past.

"Our team has been doing very well in the recent past and with Sahara sponsoring our team in India and abroad I am sure we will do much better and perhaps win the next World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2003", he said.

Muthiah immediately had a jibe at Lele saying "Whatever Lele predicts comes true and I hope he is right this time as well."

Pallav Agarwal of Sahara India said they have been associated with sports in India since a long time. "Some of the events we were involved includes the Sahara India Gold Cup Indira hockey tournament and the Sahara World junior powerlifting (both held in 1995 at Delhi), Sahara Asia Cup tennis at Delhi and Sahara Asian sub-juniors chess at Mumbai (both held in 1997), Sahara Cup cricket at Toronto (Canada) from 1996-98, Sahara Kargil benefit at Delhi in 1999 and Sahara drought benefit at Mumbai last year", he added.

Muthiah said that the board was extremely pleased that Sahara had come forward to sponsor the Indian team and we look forward to this new and mutually beneficial relationship as Sahara has done the country proud.

When queried about India playing the Asian Test Championship in Pakistan, Muthiah said, we agreed to play in Pakistan as the tournament is on a reciprocal basis. "Moreover, the Indian government had clearly said that we should not play Pakistan at non regular venues but could play them when more than two countries are in the fray hence we agreed to play in the Asian Test Championship as two other teams- Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - are taking part apart from India and Pakistan", he said.

"If the government decides to send the team to Pakistan, then preference would be given to the Asian Test Championship and we will not play the indoor one-day three-match series in Australia as the dates of the above tournaments are clashing", Muthiah said.

© PTI