(27 September 2005 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Nimbus Sport has bagged the commercial rights to the Challenger Trophy 2005 and will market all rights to the same including broadcast, licensing and sponsorship rights.

The tournament will be played over four days, starting from 10 October 2005, with the finals being played on 13 October 2005. The Challenger Trophy will have the 36 best available players in India in action.

The Challenger Trophy 2005-06 is being staged by the Punjab Cricket Association and will be a key determinant in choosing the India team to face Sri Lanka next month.

Live coverage is being produced by Nimbus Sport, which is the producer of all international cricket played in India 2002 - 2004, and international events like the ICC Champions’ Trophy Sri Lanka 2002, Max special coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup South Africa 2003, the ICC U19 World Cup Bangladesh 2004, and the appointed production company for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy India 2006.

Punjab Cricket Association president I S Bindra said, "India has shown the way as far as marketing international cricket is concerned, and now we are determined to do the same for first class cricket in India. This is a going to be a spectacular effort, pioneered by the PCA, to market first class matches and we are delighted to be partnered by Nimbus Sport."

Nimbus Sport president Satish Menon said, "The Challenger Trophy 2005-06 is more important than ever before - the Indian team composition hangs in the balance. No other big cricket is taking place between 10 -13 October – the event is positioned perfectly in the gap between the third and fourth games of the ICC Super Series in Australia. This will be a blockbuster series."