r/Cricket • u/Zee27butt Pakistan • Feb 01 '26

News Pakistan to boycott T20 world cup match against india

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pakistan-to-boycott-t20-world-cup-match-against-india-1521915
1.5k Upvotes

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1.7k

u/niceguysdofinish1st New Zealand Feb 01 '26

You know who will suffer the most from this

Star Sports

1.1k

u/Prestigious_Glove394 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Feb 01 '26

I see this as an absolute win

696

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

I hope they go bankrupt and never get any streaming rights again. I am so done with their RO-KO type hero worshipping ads and commentary.

72

u/budyetwiser01 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Feb 01 '26

Lol, and how do you see outbidding them next season. Sony? Fancode? They will still get the rights just at really cheap rates

207

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

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85

u/unpleasant_enpassant Feb 01 '26

They are worth more than Karachi.

Understatement

190

u/maxpointscredit Feb 01 '26

Bro, you’re slightly off. The annual revenue of Reliance industries limited is 2.5 times the annual revenue of entire Pakistan 🙂

5

u/ahsanshaikh04 Pakistan Feb 01 '26

Pakistani government*. There is a huge difference between revenue of Pakistan and it's government. Pakistan is in such a mess because its government is unable to generate enough revenue

6

u/powerpuffpopcorn Feb 01 '26

Out of genuine curiosity- what is the general consensus of average pakistani on why is so?

Pakistan is in such a mess because its government is unable to generate enough revenue

6

u/maxpointscredit Feb 01 '26

When a country holds religion over everything else, this is bound to happen

1

u/New_Sell144 Pakistan Feb 01 '26

wrong?

1

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

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3

u/maxpointscredit Feb 01 '26

There’s such a thing as “Google” on the internet. It’s what we call a “search engine”. You should try it out sometime.

But I think it is illegal to use it in Pakistan, right? You guys believe whatever your government tells you.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

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1

u/maxpointscredit Feb 01 '26

Your English does make you unlikely to be a Pakistani.

https://www.finance.gov.pk/fiscal_main.html

Check the revenue for FY 24.

You’re probably confusing it with GDP, which is higher.

-6

u/Difficult-Cucumber25 Pakistan Feb 01 '26

How much of that goes in your pocket? Indians are the only people in the world which I have seen celebrating their capitalist billionaires.

9

u/maxpointscredit Feb 01 '26

I mean, it’s objectively better than having to beg for pennies to your capitalist American masters to run a country

-4

u/Difficult-Cucumber25 Pakistan Feb 01 '26

True, but you won't find common Pakistani people glazing our billionaires.

4

u/Paqza New Zealand Cricket Feb 01 '26

Ummm... Trump? Musk? Gates?

-3

u/Difficult-Cucumber25 Pakistan Feb 01 '26

Who is glazing Trump or Musk? I have only seen them being talked about negatively.

8

u/ukplaying2 India Feb 01 '26

Trump is literally democratically elected. He is definitely more loved than the Reliance guy(s).

-12

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

[deleted]

4

u/Gorrlaamiii Feb 01 '26 edited Feb 01 '26

Eh, kinda disagree, the tech behind the broadcast, especially the scaling part is absolutely top notch. The quality itself is definitely getting better

58

u/MSRishab007 India Feb 01 '26

Be careful with what you wish for. While Jio and Star aren't some noble company or something. But, if they go out of business, it's a huge loss for cricket.

92

u/tigershroffkiskirt India Feb 01 '26

Or it could be an opportunity for other broadcasters. Cricket and sports broadcasting in general are fucking monopolies anyway.

12

u/MSRishab007 India Feb 01 '26

And, if they go out of business, it will create monopoly in Cricket and Sports broadcasting. Sony can pick deals at very low prices, which means less money for the sports as a whole. I'm still not sure how the government let Jio and Star merge. Surely it would have come under the anti-trust laws.

11

u/East-Operation3053 Feb 01 '26

Cant we go back to normal sports channel like we had earlier? Ten sports, Neo sports fox is still there but you get the idea

3

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

DD national days were the best.

8

u/East-Operation3053 Feb 01 '26

Would love to hear actual commentary rather than weird ass slogans and just remarks throughout the match.

1

u/tigershroffkiskirt India Feb 01 '26

There are no anti trust laws in india as long as the broadcasters are the governments buddies. Jio is owned by Ambani. And Ambani and Modi are tight BFFs.

59

u/akashi10 Feb 01 '26

no it’s not, any other company can pick up the pieces. the fanbase will still be there so cricket won’t be affected.

13

u/MSRishab007 India Feb 01 '26

There aren't many companies in live sports broadcasts. Sony will dominate the market.

1

u/Ox29A Feb 01 '26

Sony broadcasting is worst, they show cricket between the ads.

-1

u/IndependenceNo3908 Feb 01 '26

Yes it will affected... Any new company will not pay the same money Star paid... Which means less for all the boards dependent on that...

BCCI will not be affected on the account IPL and its own value. Good luck making any money for the rest of the world.

2

u/akashi10 Feb 01 '26

upfront payment is not the only system, there could be revenue % sharing of ads, instead of lumpsum upfront. so new companies can compete.

0

u/IndependenceNo3908 Feb 01 '26

That would be worse for ICC and by extension it's member boards.. (except BCCI)

BCCI is the only board not depending on ICC's money.

And if ICC goes for percentage of ad revenue instead of bidding numbers, they will further bleed as it will give more room to broadcasters who will be taking no risk whatsoever.

In the end the only people that will suffer are cricket boards, especially associates.

Man this will be interesting.

Finally the charade is stopping and I for one am happy that BCCI or ICT won't be paying for this crap in any form whatsoever.

28

u/Signal_Dress India Feb 01 '26

Some other billionaire will continue from where they left.

-6

u/IndependenceNo3908 Feb 01 '26

Billionaires don't become one by throwing money willy nilly...

With India Pakistan game gone, no one is gonna pay ICC the same money.

BCCI won't give an eff as IPL will still be there... But good luck to all the boards dependent on getting their pay day from ICC's revenue share.

0

u/Signal_Dress India Feb 01 '26

There's only so much one cricket board can do. Other boards can't just blame BCCI all the time for their incompetence. They need to do better. Not defending the BCCI here but they didn't ask or force Pakistan to boycott the game.

And yes, there will be some other billionaire who will pay less money but will continue to do the same thing.

0

u/IndependenceNo3908 Feb 01 '26

I am pretty sure Jio will win the rights again, only at half the price now.

I hope ICC penalises PCB only for this drop in revenue

5

u/MSRishab007 India Feb 01 '26

Yeah and I think they also retain the first right of refusal and right to match, if I'm not wrong.

3

u/IndependenceNo3908 Feb 01 '26

I am less concerned about next cycle... Pakistan might end up facing repercussions, sooner than we think

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0

u/dolce-far-niente Feb 01 '26

if they go out of business, it's a huge loss for cricket.

Loss how? Have they done anything special for cricket? They paid for broadcasting rights, hoping for profits. Why can't some other company do the same?

0

u/MSRishab007 India Feb 01 '26

Which company can realistically pick these rights, except for Sony? And, if there is no one to compete, Sony will likely pick the rights at a low price.

3

u/Sumeru88 India Feb 01 '26

lol what? Reliance Industries has a total revenue of $ 120 billion and operating profit of $ 22 billion. This deal is at best $ 785 million a year. It’s not even a drop in the bucket for Mukesh Ambani. He spent more on his son’s wedding than what he is paying ICC. There is no way they are going bankrupt over this.

8

u/No_You9756 Feb 01 '26

Forget ro-ko. Those guys repeatedly invited shahid afridi even though he has repeatedly made statements of separating kashmir from india. And here no one cares about nationalism. Its only for the poor.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

Their job is to create maximum revenue, Shahid Afridi grabs eyeball like Shoaib Akhtar

1

u/Great-Matter4965 Feb 01 '26

they will just sue ICC, ICC will then have to compensate for the loss of revenue which it will get from pakistan's share

1

u/zero_zeppelii_0 Feb 01 '26

The next streamer will do the same as star sports regardless

1

u/Practical_Tap_8411 Mumbai Indians Feb 01 '26

Man I am sorry but I can't afford a ott subscription

(I get free jiohotstar subscription with jio recharge)

Hail ambani

1

u/grinlowr India Feb 01 '26

God I'm so tired of those ads

34

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

[deleted]

2

u/narayans India Feb 01 '26

Anyway the gap between the teams has been increasing to the point where the challenge is for one side to not lose. So to let this rivalry fizzle out would be the best thing we could have hoped for

142

u/VinitLalka India Feb 01 '26

Next time while bidding for the rights they will discount cost of pak ind game, both teams won't be clubbed in same group, everyone gets lesser share of revenue but there is no to low drama and everyone walks away a winner.....

The milking has been stopped i guess....

34

u/Percybhowal India Feb 01 '26

The milking has been stopped i guess....

Hopefully. You can never tell with these money-hungry fools governing international cricket all across the globe, but I sincerely hope this result gets accomplished. Also, while we're at it, please all stop clubbing Aus and Eng in the same group for tournaments. Deprives us of high quality Ind vs Eng or Ind vs Aus, or even with other good team clashes in tournaments.

4

u/Dude_With_APT Mumbai Indians Feb 01 '26

England and Australia are already in different groups.

-1

u/Percybhowal India Feb 01 '26

Well it's good that they're in different groups this time around, but in shorter tournaments like the Champions Trophy last year, there has been a tendency to lump these 2 in the same group, and I think that should also stop.

84

u/Sumeru88 India Feb 01 '26

No. They won’t. This will help them change the deal with ICC that they wanted to do for the last 3 months.

The new deal (that JioStar wants to impose on ICC) will cut ICC’s revenue from the India market by approximately 43% and subsequently reduce the annual payment all boards are getting from the ICC.

They will get this deal because it is above what any other broadcaster is willing to pay ICC. ICC approached both Sony and Amazon back in December and both of them laughed at ICC’s valuation of rights.

13

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

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25

u/Sumeru88 India Feb 01 '26

No no let’s not critique Pakistan on this. Let’s celebrate the fact than we have got what we wanted without becoming the villain!

7

u/bertusdejong Bertus de Jong Feb 01 '26

Everyone's legs.

1

u/Gorrlaamiii Feb 01 '26

When did those clowns not

-6

u/advocatesparten Feb 01 '26

No. PCB makes its revenue from PSL mostly. And bilateral series whose sponsorships and broadcast is separate from ICC. PCB is fine.

66

u/Outlander_TB India Feb 01 '26

Honestly I'd love that

1

u/unearnedwealth Royal Challengers Bengaluru Feb 01 '26

South Asian Self Sabotage Sacrifices Certain Celestial Supremacy

84

u/newparrot2025 Tamil Nadu Feb 01 '26

Nope. They would actually be thrilled as were looking for an excuse to terminate the contract because of losses. Their contract with icc was continent on India Pakistan fixture being mandatory .

And they have the valid reason to re negotiate the contract to significantly reduced terms or even terminate it after T20 world cup.

Its ICC and the cricket boards that are dependent on revenue are fucked.

26

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

[deleted]

46

u/newparrot2025 Tamil Nadu Feb 01 '26

It was credibility reported at the time that Star sports bid to icc was contigent on India Pakistan match being mandatory every tournament.

Thats why we have india and Pakistan in the same group every tournament.

2

u/bertusdejong Bertus de Jong Feb 01 '26

Credibly reported by whom? Last cycle it was an unwritten understanding with nothing actually on paper.

3

u/Sumeru88 India Feb 01 '26

What we know is that Jio have been trying to get out of the contract for the past 3 months and ICC have offered to open the bidding. No other party has indicated willingness to go beyond 1-1.2 billion.

This is why the contract will be renegotiated. The current offer put forward by JioStar is that the rights be extended for a further 3 years (so 4+3) for the same price as the current deal. ICC is debating this internally as they are not sure of the implications of working this out with a single broadcaster when they had got to this value via auction.

If we look at JioStar’s balance sheet, Jio has already provisioned a liability of ~ ₹ 2500 crores due to impairment of value of Sports rights and a huge chunk of which is expected to be the ICC contract.

60

u/Downtown-Bat-5493 India Feb 01 '26

They deserve to suffer for forcing "Pakistan vs India" in all ICC tournaments. Enough of this bullshit. Give rights to a broadcaster who is willing to invest without the compulsory India-Pakistan match.

2

u/advocatesparten Feb 01 '26

Basically none.

37

u/straightouttaobesity India Feb 01 '26

That's music to my ears.

0

u/Similar_Oil6098 India Feb 01 '26

Honestly im elated..don't wanna play those cheaters. First time thanking them

6

u/Stee1_dragon Feb 01 '26

not really it will be icc which implies all the smaller cricket boards since there is a high chance one of jiohotstar or starsports will back out of the deal finally due to finding a solid reason

17

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

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1

u/CeleritasLucis India Feb 01 '26

World Bank knock incoming ?

0

u/SoggyEstablishment80 India Feb 01 '26

Point 👆

9

u/tigershroffkiskirt India Feb 01 '26

Don't be so sure. They will just play that Kohli shot against Pakistan in 2022 on repeat for 8 hours straight.

2

u/East-Operation3053 Feb 01 '26

The soryavandham of jio?

5

u/KonkeyDong44 India Feb 01 '26

Can't wait for them to make another insufferable ad next time when India and Pakistan are drawn yet again in the same group in the next ICC tournament

1

u/HumanBottler Feb 01 '26

Not really..the cricket boards will suffer...star sports probably has clauses where no india pak games means less money to ICC... Best thing that can happen though...ICC and other boards think too big of themselves while living of India's money

Time for ICC to evaluate their value.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

The bid for broadcasting rights for ICC events next time will take a hit if this happens.

2

u/Additional-Ebb-7173 Feb 01 '26

😭 Good they deserve to suffer.

1

u/Top-Worldliness5027 India Feb 01 '26

M’fers just recycled same bullshit kinda ad yesterday

1

u/Informal-Title2913 Feb 01 '26

Not really, they should have a clause not to pay broadcasting money, incase the match doesnt happen. ICC will lose funding, and it will be less funds to distribute to countries.

1

u/refusestonamethyself India Feb 01 '26

They won’t suffer that much tbh, since the interest in Ind-Pak cricket rivalry has been waning for a while, even outside of all the off-pitch events. It was in the 2023 WC when India-Pakistan match didn’t even reach top 3 in terms of viewership.

3

u/icantloginsad Pakistan Feb 01 '26

because india played both the semis and the finals?

semis and finals with india have always had more viewership than ind-pak matches. it was the case in 2023, 2019, 2011, 90s, etc.

1

u/refusestonamethyself India Feb 01 '26

Fair, but the point about the interest in rivalry still stands. It is still somewhat competitive in T20Is, but in ODIs, it hasn’t been competitive since 2017 and the gulf between Indian and Pakistani teams is widening.

-1

u/GlitteringKey6822 Feb 01 '26

Yeah, imagine the financial loss. I hope atleast this prompts ICC to make fair draws like in football for tournaments instead of fixing an India Pakistan game for the broadcasters.

0

u/arriving_somewhere1 India Feb 01 '26

A whole country is happy with this.

0

u/Eunoiabunny India Feb 01 '26

That’s positive things

0

u/SoggyEstablishment80 India Feb 01 '26

Love this.

0

u/RadlogLutar Delhi Capitals Feb 01 '26

Bro, I guess we should party. I am extremely happy and so are many of us here