3 min learnFeb 3, 2026 12:40 AM IST
An India-Pakistan fixture in an ICC occasion generates income to the tune of a staggering “USD 250 million (over Rs 2200 crore)”, as per some estimates and the absence of the cash-cow fixture from the upcoming T20 World Cup is for certain to trigger heavy losses to all stakeholders.
Such is the pull of the competition between the arch-rivals, who solely play in multi group competitions because of the tense relations between the 2 international locations, that the ICC locations them in the identical pool in each world occasion.
On Sunday, the Pakistan authorities introduced its group’s boycott of the marquee conflict in Colombo on February 15.
If Pakistan stay adamant, they’d danger dropping hundreds of thousands in revenues and a no-show would trigger vital monetary injury to the ICC coffers and India media rights holder JioStar which is already making an attempt to renegotiate a USD 3 billion cope with the world physique.
The host broadcaster may incur commercial income losses within the vary of Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore for a marquee sport whose 10 second industrial slot can value as much as Rs 40 lakh.
Whereas a walkover would hand full factors to India, the ICC retains the authority to impose monetary penalties on the PCB.
A former ICC and PCB communications head, Sami-ul-Hasan Burney, summed up the magnitude of the cash driving on only one sport.
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“As regards the sanctions or the losses, as I stated, the one match is costing USD 250 million (every thing accounted for not simply broadcaster’s loss). Pakistan’s annual income is USD 35.5 million, so there’s a large, large distinction,” he informed PTI.
The Sydney Morning Herald quoted business sources with information of confidential negotiations on the prices concerned within the sport with a billion plus viewers.
Every sport between India and Pakistan has an estimated worth of round USD 250 million, it acknowledged.
The tone and tenor of ICC’s assertion following the Pakistan authorities announcement additionally underlined the undisputed worth of the competition.
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“This place of selective participation is troublesome to reconcile with the basic premise of a world sporting occasion the place all certified groups are anticipated to compete on equal phrases per the occasion schedule,” the ICC stated.
“ICC tournaments are constructed on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and equity, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.” Amid the drama, Pakistan left for Colombo to play its different video games within the showpiece beginning February 7.
With the ICC, PCB and BCCI agreeing to a hybrid mannequin for the India-Pakistan video games until 2027, the Pakistan board would discover it robust to justify the selective pullout.
It began with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s elimination from the IPL on BCCI directions, resulting in the withdrawal of the nationwide group from ICC occasion co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.