Mumbai: For the year ending high-octane cricket series between India and Australia, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), will be undertaking several initiatives to enhance the viewing experience and increase engagement with cricket enthusiasts across the nation. The series, with three T20s, four Tests and three ODIs, is highly anticipated by fans across the globe as the clashes between the two leading teams have always been intense.
SPN’s flagship wraparound show, Extraaa Innings, comes to this series with a new look and set design featuring an unrivalled set of expert panellists rotating through the duration of the series. This exciting round-up of panellists, providing pre, mid and post-match analyses include Sunil Gavaskar, Michael Clarke, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir, Mark Butcher, Nick Knight, Dominic Cork, Murali Kartik, Sanjay Manjrekar, Mohammad Kaif, Harsha Bhogle, Gaurav Kapur, Deep Dasgupta and Vivek Razdan. The panel comprises cricketing legends who will bring their years of experience and expertise to the table, alongside contemporaries who possess a first-hand experience of modern cricket to provide audiences with comprehensive analyses. All the matches will be telecast with English and Hindi commentaries to ensure an unparalleled viewing experience for viewers across India.
Following the astounding success of the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League second screen experience, SPN brings back an interactive digital experience for the world’s biggest bilateral series. Viewers watching the series on SPN’s premium OTT platform, SonyLIV, can access “Extraaa Innings” for exclusive content and increased interactivity. The features include a host of predictor games, quizzes, team selector game, trivia, emotion-based selfie filter and stats – all designed to keep the fans engaged. One of the features on “Extraaa Innings”, the “Aggression Meter”, will be displayed on-air during the broadcast through which fans, based on the match, can express their emotional state during the series.
Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer Distribution and Head – Sports, Sony Pictures Networks India, “Cricket is more than just a sport; it is an emotional experience for Indians. Being the one-stop destination for international bilateral series, with rights to eight cricket boards, we are always looking for ways to elevate this experience. The superb line-up of panellists and commentators will give our viewers a holistic perspective on the matches. Along with that, our second screen initiative – Extraaa Innings, will ensure that the fans have a more immersive experience during the series.”
India tour of Australia will be broadcast on SONY SIX channels with English commentary and on SONY TEN 3 channels with Hindi commentary From November 21, 2018 to January 18, 2019. The T20 series kick-starts on November 21, 2018 and will be telecast From 1:20 PM onwards.
