Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and Taj Television Limited of the UAE have signed a 3-year contract with regard to the international broadcast and telecast rights of Test and One-Day-International matches organized and hosted by the BCCSL in Sri Lanka.

Taj Television has undertaken to pay the BCCSL US dollars 13.9 million, in return for rights to market international radio broadcasts, international television broadcasts, title sponsorships, and forty Ground Runners (advertising boards), for three years beginning in November 2001 and ending with the South African tour of Sri Lanka in 2004.

The contract was signed by Mr. Vijaya Malalasekera, Chairman of the Interim Committee, Mr. Kushil Gunasekera, Secretary of the Interim Committee, and Mr. Anura Tennekoon, Chief Executive of the BCCSL, on behalf of the BCCSL, and Mr. Zahid Noorani, Managing Director of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, on behalf of Taj Television Limited, in Colombo on the 5th of March 2002.

"The agreement with Taj Television Ltd is a major milestone in the history of the BCCSL. I have no doubt that the close working relationship between the BCCSL and Taj Television will be extremely beneficial to the uplifting of the international image of Sri Lanka cricket, and the development of the sport," said Mr. Malalasekera.

The contract formalizes the Memorandum of Understanding which was signed between the BCCSL and Taj Television Ltd on the 2nd of November 2001.

As part of this contract, Taj Television Ltd has already broadcast the West Indies 2001 tour, the LG Abans Triangular Tournament 2001, and the Zimbabwe 2001/02 tour, and made payments in full with regard to these tours.

The contract does not include rights to the ICC Champions' Trophy which is to be played in Sri Lanka in September 2002, as it is an event of the International Cricket Council.

© BCCSL