The India vs Pakistan match in the ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Sept. 22: The logistics of a cricket telecast depends on the kind of coverage a channel is aiming at.

According to experts, the basics are more or less common, but more frills add to the cost and procurement problems. A network focusing more on pre- and post-match shows, for instance, would spend a considerable amount on that, apart from regular match coverage.

A cricket telecast has several components. First is getting the equipment. Some of the high-end equipment costing millions of dollars is usually hired on a series-by-series basis and have to be brought in from outside.

For the actual coverage, at least 12 to 14 cameras are needed. Some of these are super-slow motion cameras, which capture images at a speed several times faster than normal cameras. ?Since the action in the middle happens very fast, a lot of what actually occurred is revealed in replays,? said an expert.

The super-slow motion cameras enable images to appear clear and as if taken in real time when shown in slow motion. Apart from these, stump cameras and microphones have to be arranged for as well. Only a few companies in the world manufacture stump cameras, taking their price even higher. Channels suffer hefty damages when stump-cams are damaged by a delivery or taken away by overenthusiastic fans.

A key component is recording equipment. All footage goes into electronic video storage devices, which allow working with the footage and adding other elements.

Graphics are also important. From displaying the scorecard to a break-up of a batsman?s innings, over the years, the volume of statistics has only grown. More the graphics, more heavy-duty equipment is required and trained professionals to man them. ESPN-STAR Sports, for instance, had to use separate graphic teams for the telecast of the Asia Cup in both Hindi and English on its two channels.

The final component in the set-up is a switching system that integrates raw footage, graphics and other elements and then sends out a feed.

The next step is uploading the signal to satellites. If customised feeds are being sent to different channels around the world, separate arrangements have to be made for multiple feeds. For instance, one feed may be without certain elements and advertisements, while another could be without commentary and some of the graphics.

According to an expert?s guesstimate, producing a series like the upcoming one featuring Australia could cost around $3 million without frills.