The International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2013 will be witnessed by over a billion people across the globe, as the organisers are planning to provide live coverage of the matches in 180 territories.
ICC Champions Trophy 2013 featuring the top eight nations in the ICC ODI Rankings will kick off on 6 June in England and conclude on 23 June.
[Read: India vs Pakistan Preview & Live Streaming Information]
Broadcaster and ICC global media rights partner STAR Sports is working to ensure that viewers in close to 180 territories enjoy the matches from the comfort of their homes. The organisers are expecting an audience of 1.5 billion.
Like ICC World Twenty20 last year, STAR Sports will once again produce High Definition (HD) broadcast coverage using 29 cameras, Spydercam, enhanced Hawkeye cameras, Hot Spot and Ultra Motion cameras, said a statement by the ICC.
STAR Sports also has struck partnership deals with several broadcasters in several territories, enabling live coverage of the matches in 180 territories including the US and Caribbean (through ESPN), Pakistan (PTV), Bangladesh (BTV) and Sri Lanka (CSN).
"The ICC Champions Trophy 2013 will showcase the best teams in the world and to complement the on-field action, ICC and STAR Sports will ensure the best possible coverage to the widest audience ever for an international 50-over event," David Richardson, ICC Chief Executive, said in a statement.
"For those people around the world who can't be in England and Wales in person this June, STAR Sports' distribution efforts have ensured that 1.5 billion people across the globe can view every single ODI of the tournament from the comfort of their own home."
Nitin Kukreja, STAR Sports, said, "The ICC Champions Trophy is a true test of cricketing excellence with the top eight ODI teams going head to head to be crowned - Champions. Star Sports will leave no stone unturned to bring this spectacle live to all our viewers across the world in a manner befitting the stature of this marquee property."
The live broadcast of the matches will feature 16 commentators and legends of the game from the leading participating countries. The commentators include Michael Atherton, Michael Holding, Nasser Hussain, Shane Warne, David Lloyd, Pommie Mbangwa, Ramiz Raja, Russell Arnold, Sanjay Manjrekar, Simon Doull, Sourav Ganguly, Sunil Gavaskar, Tom Moody, Wasim Akram, Alan Wilkins and Harsha Bhogle.
"I'm really looking forward to being part of the Star Sports commentary team for the ICC Champions Trophy for what I'm sure will be top class coverage of the event. It's great to have the best eight teams in the world here in England and Wales. The atmosphere will be electric," Hussain said in a statement.
"The ICC Champions Trophy is one of the best events in cricket. Every game matters and they'll be played in front of big crowds in the UK. All the teams have a chance of winning - it's absolutely wide open. I can't wait to join the Star Sports team," added Atherton.
The ICCI Champions Trophy 2013, which is second in importance only to Cricket World Cup, is a One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament played every two years and features the top eight nations in the ICC ODI Rankings. The countries that will participate this year are Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
