India to play first Twenty20 game against Australia

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) The BCCI today announced that India India will play their first twenty20 international cricket match at home against Australia when the world champions tour the country later this year.

The decision to include the twenty20 format in the seven ODI series was ratified by the Board's Working Committee which met here.

Australia are scheduled to tour India in September-October and it is the first time that the shorter format of the game will form part of the itinerary of a visiting team.

The meeting drew up tentative venues for the forthcoming home series against Australia, South Africa and Pakistan.

South Africa will play three Tests while Pakistan will play five ODIs and three Tests.

The Board also decided to share revenue loss incurred by Nimbus, the TV right holders for cricket matches in India for five years from 2007-11, following the government's mandatory provision for private broadcasters to share their live feed with Prasar Bharti.

Nimbus will be compensated for the losses incurred due to non-encryption by Doordarshan for first year of telecast (2007).

Auditors -- one each from BCCI and Nimbus -- will quantify the quantum of losses for the year and submit the report by May 31.

UNI