Dhaka, Jan 12 (IANS) The Beximco Group has replaced Grameenphone as the official sponsors of Bangladesh's cricket team for the forthcoming World Cup.

Grameenphone, a joint venture between Norway-based Telenor and Grameen Bank's sister concern Grameen Telecom Corporation, is out because of a conflict of interest with the International Cricket Council (ICC) sponsor Reliance Communications, an Indian mobile operator.

In keeping with the ICC rules, no team is allowed to take a sponsor in any of their events that is conflicting with its commercial partners.

Beximco, a private trading group Tuesday struck a deal worth 35 million taka (about $490,000) with the Bangladesh Cricket Board to sponsor the national cricket team.

Beximco replaced Grameenphone, the largest telecom operator in Bangladesh, as the official sponsor of the 'tigers', the New Age reported.

Bangladesh's national cricketers are fondly called tigers. Royal Bengal tiger is the country's national animal.