Pepsi stays as Pakistan cricket team sponsor; deal renegotiated

Pepsi will continue to be the principal sponsor of the Pakistan national cricket team. It is a win-win situation for the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The PCB has finally got a sponsorship deal ahead of the Test series in England. The multinational beverage brand, which had earlier declined to extend the association that expired in March this year, has succeeded in negotiating the deal in its favour.

The PCB and Pepsi have announced a one-year extension of the deal that will see the Pakistan national team supporting the company’s logo on the team jersey in all three formats of the game.

Pepsi has been a PCB partner for more than two decades.

The partnership will run initially until 30 June 2021, during which period Pakistan will take on England in the upcoming Test and T20I series from August 5. The deal will also cover the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, and away series against South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

“We are proud to continue our much cherished journey with Pakistan cricket as the principal partner of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team,” said Saad Munawar Khan, Director Marketing & Franchise, PepsiCo Pakistan.

“Pepsi, Pakistan cricket and our passionate supporters are all part of one family and we are very excited to see our champion cricketers taking the field and making us proud with stellar performances.”

PCB Director – Commercial, Babar Hamid added “Despite working with a backdrop of a challenging economic climate, I am delighted that we have reached an acceptable agreement with Pepsi to continue as a principal partner for, at least, the next 12 months.

“Pepsi has been our valued partner since the 1990s, during which period we have shared great on-field memories and we look forward to that continuing over the next 12-months.

“This extension of the partnership not only reflects our relationship and understanding with Pepsi, but also indicates the value that they place on the profile and visibility that sponsoring the Pakistan men’s national cricket team brings.”

The PCB has also announced a sponsorship deal with Easy Paisa.

Pakistan’s first mobile financial services platform, will be the associate partner of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team for the upcoming tour of England.

It was feared that the Pakistan Cricket team might have to play the series in England without a title sponsor as Pepsi had initially declined to renew the deal that had expired at the end March this year.

The team had flown to  England without a sponsors’ logo on their kits.

It had been reported earlier that the team will be supporting the logo of Shahid Afridi’s charity in the absence of a sponsor.