Arab Digital Distribution announces telecast of ICC World Twenty20

The occasion is two weeks of the ICC World Twenty20 2007 championship in which 12 countries - South Africa, West Indies, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, Australia, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and England - will be competing across several venues in South Africa, which is hosting the tournament.

"We are proud to announce the telecast of the first ICC World Twenty20 cricket Tournament," Peter Hutton, Senior Vice President of Production and Programming, Ten Sports, said adding "Our association with Pehla will help us to reach out in a greater way to the largest possible audience for this game."

Echoing his words, Vinod D'mello Executive Vice President - Group Strategy and Planning, Arab Digital Distribution, said "Pehla has always endeavored to bring the best of sports to its television viewers, and this partnership with Ten Sports will showcase the best of the ICC Twenty20 cricket for its audiences."

Meanwhile, South Africa will be seeking to work their African rhythm against the Caribbean calypso cricketers of the West Indies on the first day of the Championship - Sept 11. Sept 12 will witness three matches between Kenya and New Zealand, Pakistan and Scotland, while Sept 13 will have matches between Bangladesh and West Indies, England and Zimbabwe, and India with Scotland.

Sept. 14 will see Kenya taking on Sri Lanka, Australia against England and India versus Pakistan, while September 15 has New Zealand against Sri Lanka and South Africa versus Bangladesh. The semi-finals will be played on Sept 22 at Cape Town and Durban, besides the final at Johannesburg on Sept 24.

20/20 cricket was introduced in the United Kingdom in 2003 and comprises of 20 over's a side which usually gets over in three hours. The first such match was played at Lords on July 15, 2004 and witnessed by a record crowd of 27,500 spectators.

How popular this form of cricket is becoming can be seen with Texas billionaire Allen Stanford, bankrolling in 2006 the US $ 36 million 20/20 over's cricket project in the Caribbean -- with the first US $ 6 million tournament being played there last year.

Cricket has begun to draw new countries into its fold. Cuba, with a rich cricketing history dating back to the 1950's, too has joined the 20/20 cricketing fraternity, while China is brushing up on its knowledge of this sport to enable its participation in future cricket tournaments.

Over the years, Pehla & Firstnet have been bringing the best of cricket for viewers across the region with exciting events such as the ICC Cricket World Cup, India-Bangladesh series, India-Pakistan "Friendship Trophy" in Scotland and the recently-held ODIs between India and England.

The September 20/20 cricket Championship matches are once again yet another exclusive and exciting offering for Pehla and Firstnet viewers.