Sport gives Chinese manufacturers a boost in market

"It's an invasion of Chinese brands," an Indian cricket administrator is reported to have remarked last week after Oppo, a Chinese smartphone maker, shelled out $162 million to sponsor India's national cricket teams for the next five years.

While the comment may have been in jest, it would be a telling reference to Oppo outbidding Vivo, another Chinese phonemaker, thus joining labels such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Star TV and Hyundai, all past sponsors of the teams.