Dilmah deal jeopardised by Pepsi's World Cup sponsorship

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have informed the Sri Lankan cricket board that the record team sponsorship brokered with Dilmah Tea last year conflicts with one of the World Cup's official sponsors.

Pepsi, the giant soft drinks manufacturer, has signed a deal with the ICC to become the official non-alcoholic beverage sponsor for the ICC Champions Trophy (mini world cup) in September and the 2003 World Cup to be held in South Africa next year.

The ICC have told the Sri Lankan board that Dilmah's iced tea products would directly clash with Pepsi's sponsorship and have apparently requested that the Dilmah deal be scrapped.

However, the Sri Lankan cricket board sources are adamant that the USD $ 3.5 million deal, which forms a substantial proportion of annual revenue and is by far the best deal ever signed for team sponsorship in Sri Lanka, will not be jeopardised.

The matter will be debated at the forthcoming ICC Executive Meeting in Cape Town on March 16.