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However, Mahendra admitted that the cricket board is “keeping all
options open,” including organising the telecast at short notice
if a direction from the Madras HC is obtained in time. But he did
not indicate what would be a good time or deadline for organising
these logistics.
“The issue is being heard by the court and I don’t want to comment
any further,” he stressed, while pointing out that talks with Indian
pubcaster Doordarshan have been held in the past before a petition
was filed by Zee Telefilms in Madras.
However, while Mahendra's comments to indiantelevision.com were
quite measured, in statements made to the news channels, he held
out the threat that the Indo-Pak series might even have to be called
off if the telecast issue was not sorted out.
The Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to arrive on 28 February
to play three Tests and six one-day internationals.
ZEE OFFERS TO PRODUCE SERIES FOR PRASAR BHARATI
Original highest bidder for the telecast rights Zee TV, meanwhile,
came out today with a fresh compromise offer: to produce the Indo-Pak
series for pubcaster Prasar Bharati. Zee has offered to produce
the series at no cost and also at "its risk". Zee additionally
has offered to deposit the revenues that might accrue from the sale
of advertising on the series to a mutually agreed (with the BCCI)
upon account.
Zee also announced that if given the rights, they were ready to
telecast the series even with just a 24-hour notice.
India report today quoted Mahendra, in the eye of the storm now
that Jagmohan Dalmiya has stepped aside as president, as saying
the Board was not averse to making a request to the court to allow
the BCCI to proceed in the matter under emergency circumstances.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla spoke on similar lines when he
said that the court should offer a "compromise solution"
that covered the present series and give a final ruling on the matter
as soon as possible so as to facilitate a permanent resolution of
the vexed matter.
NO SERIES WITHOUT TELECAST: ICC CHIEF
The International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani also
weighed in to the imbroglio today when he warned that without live
telecast the matches could not be played.
Speaking to PTI, Mani raised a pertinent point when he said, "I
am surprised that why every time this matter is taken to court at
the last moment as earlier also it had happened."
If one is to go by past precedence, however, in the event of a
ruling not being forthcoming, Prasar Bharati could well end up getting
the series as was the case in the recent series that were held.
In the fixtures held last year in October-November involving Australia,
South Africa and Pakistan, Prasar Bharati telecast the matches and
Ten Sports did the production for a fee. Zee's latest offer has
only thrown another angle to what continues to be a zero sum game
for all the parties involved.
Also Read:
Let’s resolve cricket telecast issue: Zee to BCCI
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