Nokia and Pepsi to sponsor Twenty20 cricket tournament

LONDON - The International Cricket Council has signed up Nokia and Pepsi as partners for its inaugural ICC World Twenty20 tournament, set to take place in South Africa next month.

The sponsors also include telecommunications company Reliance, and property company Emarr MGF.

Yahoo! has been confirmed as the tournament's official internet website and portal partner and four South Africa-based local sponsors are also involved. They are: Standard Bank of South Africa; South Africa Tourism; Southern Sun Hotels; and Imperial Car Rental.

Malcolm Speed, ICC chief executive officer, said: "They represent a great cross-section of organisations with some continuing lengthy associations with the game of cricket while others are new to the sport or ICC events.

"They also represent an outstanding mix of local sponsors and also sponsors with global reach and appeal, something that emphasises cricket's immense popularity around the world."

The inaugural ICC World Twenty20 South Africa 2007 involves twelve teams in 27 matches across 14 days at three venues, Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.

The tournament begins with hosts South Africa playing the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on September 11 and culminates with the final at the same venue on September 24.