The ICC has appointed Dubai-based Channel 2 Group as their official audio rights partner ©ICC

Dubai-based company Channel 2 Group have been appointed as the official audio rights partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for an eight-year period, it has been announced.

The deal will cover all of the ICC’s major international competitions between now and 2023, starting with the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh, due to start Friday (January 22) and conclude on February 14.

The agreement also features two editions of the ICC World Twenty20, including this year's evet in India, as well as the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, due to be hosted by England and India respectively.

They will have global AM and FM rights for all of the 17 ICC events which will take place during the period of the deal.

“This newest partnership will ensure expanded reach of ICC events, especially in territories where radio broadcasts are still popular,” ICC general manager - commercial Campbell Jamieson said.

“Channel 2 Group has been involved in cricket for a long time, during which it has provided excellent live coverage.

“The fact that this is an eight-year partnership also means there will be a greater degree of consistency across all our major events, which is in keeping with the ICC commercial philosophy of generating product quality and commercial value over a longer time period.”

The deal between the ICC and Channel 2 Group includes coverage of the upcoming World Twenty20 in India in March
The deal between the ICC and Channel 2 Group includes coverage of this year's World Twenty20 in India ©Getty Images

The partnership between cricket’s world governing body will also mean companies such as the BBC, ABC and All India Radio will have to sub license audio rights for the events from Channel 2 Group.

Ajay Sethi, chairman of Channel 2 Group, revealed the broadcaster will develop a mobile application to supplement their coverage.

“Our group has come a long way since 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa, where we had only the Cricket Radio rights from IMG, who were the global rights holders for eight years from 2007 to 2015," he told Gulf News.

“It was my vision to reach out to more fans and I am delighted that our group has got the rights from 2016 to 2023.

“This is the era of digital revolution and we will lift our coverage to a new level.

"We will reach quickly to the fans and live sports coverage is a compelling content.

“Our biggest breakthrough is getting the India rights as they have a huge market.

“We have plans to entertain fans through a mix of Bollywood and cricket.”