Leading broadcasters Zee Sports, Ten Sports and ESPN Star Sports have bid for the International Cricket Council's global cricket telecast and marketing rights for eight years, starting 2007, including two World Cups.
Informed sources said the rights for the period 2007 to 2015 could be valued at up to one billion dollars.
Besides the 2011 and 2015 World Cup, the rights will cover ICC's major tournaments such as the Champions Trophy in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014, Twenty20 World Cup, women's World Cup and Inter-Continental Cup.
ICC's existing telecast rights, which is held by Global Cricket Corporation, expires after next year's World Cup. GCC had bagged the rights for 532 million dollars.
Earlier, the Board for Control of Cricket in India had said it would also bid for the rights but changed its mind.
BCCI's decision to pull out was taken at the ICC's recent Executive Board meeting in Mumbai.
