Sony Pictures Sports Network launches ‘The Blue Revolution’ that revisits the Indian team’s victorious campaign of the 1985 B&H World Championship of Cricket

Press Release: Mumbai, May 2, 2020:

Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) aims to galvanize the passion that millions of Indians have for cricket by showcasing the best moments from the historical tournament that had the Indian cricket team donning the blue jersey, in the series, ‘The Blue Revolution’. The 12-part series revisits India’s landmark victory in the 1985 B&H World Championship of Cricket which was the first major tournament India won in colored clothing and established its dominance in cricket across the globe.

SPSN deep dives into the historical archives to revisit the victorious campaign of the 1985 B&H World Championship of Cricket in ‘The Blue Revolution’ and will showcase how India marked its dominance in cricket, ultimately giving rise to the term ‘Men in Blue. Cricket fans will relive the action-packed iconic performances from the 1985 Indian team as they paved their way towards reaffirming their status as world champions after a string of disappointing results since the 1983 World Cup win in England.

The series launches on 4th May 2020 and will be aired exclusively on SONY SIX and SONY SIX HD channels from 8:30 PM.

As a part of the build-up to the marquee episodes and matches, SPSN has organized a series of live interactive chat sessions with some of the Indian cricket legends and heroes of the unbeaten class of ’85 - , Roger Binny, and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan. The sessions will be hosted by Rajdeep Sardesai and Joy Bhattacharya, and sports enthusiasts can watch them in conversation LIVE at @SonySportsIndia, the official Facebook page of Sony Pictures Sports Network.

The World Championship of Cricket was a ‘mini’ World Cup played between seven teams: India, , England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies. Before touching down in Australia in 1985, the Indian team had lost three series on the bounce and were one of the least favorites to win the tournament, even after the heroic 1983 World Cup finals win over West Indies. Led by the astute , the Indian team donned the Blue Jersey for the first time and went on to beat all teams in the series and eventually winning the finals against archrivals Pakistan. Since then, only one color has been associated with the Indian cricket team and this built the foundation for the ‘The Blue Revolution’.

Comments:

Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India: “The Blue Revolution covers one of the most iconic moments in our sporting history and commemorates the era where India established its supremacy in the world of Cricket. At that time our World Cup winning team had seen a dip in form, however, they answered all their critics as champions do – by winning the 1985 B&H World Championship of Cricket. The celebrations that ensued with Ravi Shastri and the team in the car as well as on the ground are iconic visuals of our rich cricketing heritage and we’re bringing back these memorable games for the Indian cricket fan.”

Rajdeep Sardesai, Consulting Editor, TV Today Network: “I remember getting up at 5:00 am in the morning to watch the Indian cricket team perform brilliantly at the B&H World Championship of Cricket in 1985. Winning the World Cup in 1983 was unexpected but we really proved that we are the best team in the world in 1985. The Blue Revolution series is a must-watch for all for its historical and nostalgic value. I am really looking forward to reliving those moments with the some of the heroes of the team who were a part of this landmark endeavor on the official Facebook page of Sony Sports.”

Watch the BLUE REVOLUTION starting from 4th May 2020 at 8:30 PM exclusively on SONY SIX and SONY SIX HD channels

Date Match Result 04.05.2020 England v Australia Australia won by 7 05.05.2020 Pakistan v India India won by 6 wickets 06.05.2020 New Zealand v Sri Lanka New Zealand won by 51 runs 07.05.2020 Pakistan v Australia Pakistan won by 62 runs 08.05.2020 India v England India won by 86 runs 09.05.2020 Sri Lanka v West Indies West Indies won by 8 wickets 11.05.2020 Pakistan v England Pakistan won by 67 runs 12.05.2020 Australia v India India won by 8 wickets 13.05.2020 New Zealand v India India won by 7 wickets 14.05.2020 West Indies v Pakistan Pakistan won by 7 wickets 15.05.2020 New Zealand v West Indies West Indies won by 86 wickets 16.05.2020 Final - Pakistan v India India won by 8 wickets

About Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN):

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, Japan.

SPN has several channels including Sony Entertainment Television (SET and SET HD), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX, India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; MAX 2, another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India Cinema; MAX HD, a high definition Hindi movie channel airing premium quality films; WAH, the FTA channel for Hindi movies; SAB and SAB HD the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channels; PAL, a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets (HSM) showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from SPN’s content library; PIX and PIX HD, the English movie channels; AXN and AXN HD, the channels showcasing the best in Reality, Entertainment and Drama; Sony BBC Earth and Sony BBC Earth HD, the premium factual entertainment channels, Sony AATH, the Bangla entertainment channel; YAY!, the kids entertainment channel; sports entertainment channels – SONY SIX, SONY SIX HD, SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 1 HD, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 3 HD; Sony मराठी, the Marathi general entertainment channel; SonyLIV - the digital entertainment VOD platform; SPN Productions, the networks’ film production arm and Studio NEXT the independent production venture for original content and IPs for TV and digital media. SPN reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries.

The network is recognized as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry. SPN is a recipient of several awards, including the Great Place to Work®, ‘Aon Best Employers India’ awards in recognition of SPN’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices, consistently ranking amongst India’s Top 10 Companies with Best Health & Wellness Practices by SHRM & CGP Partners and listed by Working Mother & AVTAR as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India.

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited is in its 25th year of operations in India. It has a subsidiary, MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited and an affiliate, Bangla Entertainment Private Limited in India.

For more information, log onto www.sonypicturesnetworks.com Media Contacts: Kaumudi Naithani +91 9833931953 | [email protected]

www.sonypicturessportsnetwork.com/