ICC Champions Trophy and 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup

Sponsorship rights for Sri Lanka and South Asia for 2006

CRICKET: Global Cricket Corporation Pte Limited (GCC), the commercial partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that Visa International, the world's leading payment brand, is the Regional Official Sponsor and "Preferred Card" of the ICC Cricket Tournaments for the South Asia region, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Visa International has been awarded the Regional Official Sponsorship rights for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in India in October 2006 and the ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in West Indies in March-April 2007 - two of the leading cricket tournaments in the world.

As Regional Official Sponsor, Visa International will receive on-ground sponsorship benefits in the South Asia region including category exclusivity, branding and signage, tickets and hospitality, special events and programs, broadcast and media related benefits and other rights, benefits and protections. The sponsorship deal was negotiated by Nimbus Sport, acting as worldwide exclusive marketing agency for GCC.

Ehsan Mani, President, International Cricket Council (ICC) said, "We are delighted Visa has joined the ICC's family of supporters by becoming an Official Sponsor. Cricket's ability to attract a world-renowned brand such as Visa to become an Official Sponsor is a demonstration of the game's robust health and its global appeal. This agreement is excellent news for all concerned and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial association with Visa."

Ian Frykberg, Managing Director, Global Cricket Corporation (GCC) said, "We are delighted to welcome Visa to the family and have them add the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 to its impressive list of major sports sponsorships."

As the world leader in payment services and with acceptance at 24 million locations, Visa is uniquely qualified to extend the benefits of this partnership to millions of cardholders and fans worldwide. This partnership builds on the highly successful marketing programs with global properties including the Olympic Games/Paralympic Games, Disney and the Rugby World Cup.

Rajiv Kapoor, Executive Vice President - Marketing, Visa International Asia Pacific said, "Visa is truly a global brand just as cricket is a truly ubiquitous game in the region. We plan to make the most of our sponsorship as our principal marketing platform for the next year, as we believe it will deliver incomparable exposure for the Visa products and services in the region.

Visa has always supported large premium sports events across the world. This has provided us with tremendous value in terms of visibility and exposure. Visa is committed to this sponsorship and we are planning. Visa International is the Official Sponsor and Preferred Card for the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Cricket World Cup Cricket Tournaments to roll-out a series of campaigns, promotions and supporting marketing activities to make Visa the preferred card both during the ICC Cricket Tournaments and after."

Santanu Mukherjee, Country Manager - South Asia, Visa International said, "Cricket is more than a sport in South Asia, it's a passion. It is a powerful binder and no other sport or event in the world elicits greater exposure or interest from a wide cross-section of society - different age groups, languages, and cultures and across cities, towns and villages.

We believe this is a great opportunity for Visa to enhance the visibility of our brand and cut across borders and boundaries. Visa has nearly 40 million cardholders in South Asia and we plan to reach out to them in unique ways to build on their passion for the game over the coming months."

Digvijay Singh, CEO, Nimbus Sport said, "This is the first time that a major payment card has been an ICC cricket sponsor and Nimbus is proud to have played a keyrole in securing this path-breaking new sponsorship".