The absence of key Indian
players for the Bangladesh series
has not gone down well with
Indian broadcasters and there is
a possibility that the three-match
ODI series will not be televised
for audience in India.
According to a report in the
Mirror, Bangladesh's Gazi TV,
which has the rights for
covering cricket in Bangladesh,
approached Star Sports and Sony
Six for broadcasting the series in
India.
Star Sports made an offer of less
than USD one million for the
series, which the host
broadcaster is not happy with
while Sony Six, which is covering
the Football World Cup, did not
show any interest.
Speaking to the Mirror, CFO and
head of operations of Gazi
Group, Salahuddin Chowdhury
said: "Star has offered a less
than million dollars for three
matches. That is too less in
comparison to the cost of the
rights. Because of the BCCI's
problems with Neo and Ten, we
can't sell the rights to them.
Unless, something dramatic
happens over the next two days,
I cannot assure you that the
matches will be telecast in India."
"There would be a lot of
overlapping time between the
World Cup matches and ODIs.
We've a planned a few pre-
match shows for the World Cup
and we could not have spared
our channel for cricket," the CEO
of Sony Six, Prasanna Krishnan
told the Mirror.
For Indian fans who are eager to
watch the action on television,
there is a glimmer of hope as
Doordarshan is reportedly open
to a revenue-sharing deal with
Gazi TV.