MUMBAI: Maa TV is at it again: cricket. The channel which has been successfully running its Tollywood cricket trophy since 2003, has now acquired the telecast right of a cricket match involving India (A) and the touring Pakistan team.
The channel will telecast the match live. The one dayer will be played at the Uppal stadium Hyderabad on 30 March.

 
 
"Cricket is not new to Maa TV. In 2003, apart from the Tollywood trophy, we had also telecast a match between Indian cricket stars and the Tollywood stars. So we have the expertise when it to comes a high-profile match," says Maa TV executive director Rajendra Prasad.
 
 
The channel acquired the telecast rights from the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) for Rs. 2 million. According to Prasad, other expenses cost the channel another Rs. 5 million. The channel has set a target of Rs 10 million as ad revenues from the match. The channel also holds the ground rights of the match.
"By now, we have got a billing of Rs. 6 million. We hope to bill the remaining Rs. 4 million by 29 March evening," says Prasad.

Maa TV has roped in Head & Shoulders as the title sponsor of the event. The associate sponsors are Thumps Up and Vicks. Co-sponsors include Andhra Bank, Pareas Pharma and D-cold.

 
 
Prasad promises international level telecast quality for the match. "We will have 12 main cameras and there will be a stump camera and another one to help the third umpire. We have taken extra care to deliver a quality telecast," he says.
The telecast will begin at 8:30 am. From 8:30 to 9 am, the channel will telecast Maa Extra Innings, a curtain raiser.

Maa TV telecast the latest edition of the Tollywood Trophy on 13 February. As per the TAM data provided by the channel, the property recorded an average TVR of 9 in CS4+.