Dubai, Sep 8 : The International Cricket Council has announced Hero Honda Motors Ltd as a global partner for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2009, which takes place in South Africa from September 22 to October 5.

Hero Honda joins a selection of top global firms that have lent their support to this major international sporting event.

“We are delighted that Hero Honda has decided to come on board as a global partner for this prestigious event,” said ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.

“Hero Honda is one of 11 sponsors that we have, indicating how popular 50-over cricket is at international level and also showing how attractive events such as the ICC Champions Trophy are to potential sponsors,” he said.

“Having the ICC Champions Trophy in one location and involving just the top eight-ranked teams together for a short, sharp and prestigious event while offering total prize money of US$4million is really creating a buzz around this year’s tournament and is attracting high-class sponsors such as Hero Honda,” he added.

Pawan Munjal, managing director and chief executive officer of Hero Honda Motors Ltd., said: “Cricket continues to go from strength to strength. Hero Honda has been a catalyst in the growing popularity of the game in India and around the world.”

“We have a cherished history of our association with the ICC. In keeping with that spirit, we are delighted to join hands with the ICC once again as a global partner for the forthcoming eight-nation ICC Champions Trophy. We will continue to invest in sports.”

For the first time the ICC CT will feature only the top eight sides in the world in the only global multi-team 50-over-a-side tournament between the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean and the next edition of that event, in the Asian sub-continent in two years’ time.

Those teams – Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, host South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – have been divided into two pools of four, with the top two from each pool progressing to the semi-finals stage. (ANI)