PCB Withholds PSL 11 Broadcast Rights In India Amid ICC T20 World Cup Boycott Controversy

Amid a deepening T20 World Cup 2026 controversy, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to sell the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 broadcast and media rights for the Indian market, even as it completes the sale of international rights excluding India.

The decision comes as tensions continue between the PCB and the International Cricket Council (ICC) after Pakistan’s government signalled its team would boycott the high‑profile February 15 match against India at the World Cup, a clash traditionally among the most watched in world cricket.

PSL 11 is slated to run from March 26 to May 3, 2026, beginning shortly after the T20 World Cup concludes, with the players’ auction scheduled for February 11. The PCB awarded a one‑year global media rights deal (excluding India) to Walee Technologies, which emerged as the highest bidder, surpassing the board’s reserve price.

PSL coverage got suspended last year

Last year, rights in India for PSL coverage were held by platforms such as FanCode and Sony Sports Network; however, both had suspended coverage midway through the 2025 season following the Pahalgam terror attack, removing PSL content from their services.

By withholding Indian broadcast rights, the PCB appears to signal the broader impact of cricket’s geopolitical tensions on commercial decisions, particularly as Pakistan’s T20 World Cup stance has already drawn warnings from the ICC about potential legal and financial consequences from broadcasters over the boycott of the India fixture.

The clash between the PCB’s commercial strategy for the PSL and the escalating World Cup dispute highlights how politics and cricket economics are increasingly intertwined, with implications for fans, broadcasters, and the sport’s global ecosystem.