NEW DELHI: People have chosen their bride and made the announcement too. But ironically, the prospective bride has yet to be informed of the marriage.

Speaking to indiantelevision.com this evening, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma expressed surprise that the Indian cricket board had has told a court that the Australia and the South Africa cricket series, to be played in India, would be telecast on Doordarshan.

"Well, theres no offer from anybody, including the cricket board," Sarma categorically said, adding, "And neither is there an offer from Zee Telefilms or ESPN-Star Sports on sharing of the telecast feeds terrestrially with DD."
 
 
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had said a few days back as part of a submission of a legal case involving the telecast rights, that DD would telecast the Australia and South Africa series on the domestic circuit, while for the international market, another agency would be located.

In the light of inconclusive arguments in the telecast case currently being heard by the Supreme Court, Prasar Bharati, which manages DD, also did not hold an organisational meeting today on the cricket issue.

According to Sarma, An empowered committee (comprising Sarma, director-general of DD and member-finance of the Prasar Bharati board) was not held today as "we are still awaiting a clear signal form the Supreme Court on the cricket issue."

Both ESS and Zee Telefilms have said informally and formally on various occasions that if they get the Indian cricket rights, they would share it with the national terrestrial broadcaster "in the larger public interest".