In a significant move, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that it has granted the worldwide rights to broadcast India's upcoming cricket tour of Sri Lanka to the Nimbus Sports International. The Singapore-headquartered global sports management company will also be producing the television coverage for the series which will be broadcast worldwide. Neo Cricket will air these matches.

India will play five ODI matches in the island nation starting on January 28. A Twenty-20 match will also be played between the two teams. Other major TV networks such as Ten Sports and Sony TV had also expressed their interest to acquire these rights. It is learnt that ESPN Star Sports did not bid, but only put in an expression of interest to acquire the international rights.

Speaking on this, Nimbus Sport Executive Vice President, Yannick Colaco said, “We... hope that this partnership marks the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with Sri Lanka Cricket.”

Though the Board has not given any details regarding price for the rights, but it is believed that it has granted the rights to the tune of 10 million to 12 million dollars.

The cancellation of India's tour of Pakistan following the terror attacks in Mumbai provided a gap in the calendar and Sri Lanka too split their hastily arranged Pakistan tour to accommodate this series.

The Indian Cricket team last toured the island nation in July-August 2008. India lost the test series by 2-1 but won the ODI series by 3-2.

Apart from this, the cricket boards of the two nations also revised the ODI tour.

The revised schedule for the forthcoming ODI series in Sri-Lanka:

Jan 28 - First one-dayer, Dambulla

Jan 31 - Second one-dayer, Premadasa stadium, Colombo (day/night)

Feb 3 - Third one-dayer, Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (d/n)

Feb 5 - Fourth one-dayer, Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (d/n)

Feb 8 - Fifth one-dayer, Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo

Feb 10 - Twenty20 international, Premadasa Stadium, Colombo