UCBL managing director M Shahjahan Bhuiyan (3rd from L) and BCB Marketing and Commercial Committee vice chairman Syed Farhad Ahmed exchange files after signing the agreement at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: COURTESY

United Commercial Bank Ltd (UCBL) signed a deal with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to become the official sponsors of the national team for the ICC World Twenty20s to be held in England next month.

This was officially declared at a press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday where the match and practice jerseys were also unveiled.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak and pacer Syed Rasel wore the national team's new practice and match jersey at the function.

The tenure of this sponsorship will be from May 23 to June 21 and UCBL will pay the BCB an equivalent amount of 30,000 dollars for the sponsorship rights. To encourage the Tigers, the private bank has also decided to pay a further US$ 5,000 per match if Mohammad Ashraful's men qualify for the Super Eights and go further.

Bangladesh has been pitted in Group A and play the first match against defending champions India on June 6 and Ireland on June 8 at Trent Bridge.

The Tigers will leave for England on May 23 and will play additional warm-up games at Wormsley on May 26 (against New Zealand) and May 29 (against Scotland) and then travel to Kent to face Netherlands on May 28. Bangladesh's official practice games are against Australia (on 01 June) and Sri Lanka (on 04 June) at Nottingham.

UCBL will use the tag line 'United Commercial Bank Official Sponsor of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team for ICC World Twenty 20 England 2009' in all their promotional activities during the tenure of this agreement.

BCB senior vice-president Mahbubul Anam, UCBL managing director M Shahjahan Bhuiyan and BCB marketing & commercial committee vice-chairman Syed Farhad Ahmed were present at the ceremony.