ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Television (PTV) announced on Tuesday that it has secured domestic broadcast rights for all Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events from 2025 to 2027.
In a statement posted on Instagram, PTV Sports said, “PTV Sports proudly announces the acquisition of television rights in Pakistan for all ACC events from 2025 to 2027!” The rights include the Men’s Asia Cup 2025 and 2027, the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, and U19 and Emerging Asia Cup tournaments.
The Men’s Asia Cup 2025, scheduled for September 9–28, will now be held in the UAE, after being shifted from India due to ongoing political tensions with Pakistan and strained relations with Bangladesh.
Earlier, negotiations for broadcast rights had faced serious hurdles. Sources revealed that the official broadcaster — an Indian company with pan-Asia rights in a $170 million deal until 2031 — had set an exorbitantly high price for Pakistan’s market. Despite Pakistan contributing only around 10% of the regional value, broadcasters were being asked to pay 25% of the total rights fee.
This inflated demand, coupled with declining ad revenue (down 22% year-on-year) and uncertain chances of a Pakistan-India clash, made the deal financially unfeasible for individual Pakistani sports channels. Broadcasters considered forming a joint consortium to share costs or opting out altogether.
A PTV official, speaking anonymously, admitted the uncertainty. “We’re negotiating to ensure fans in Pakistan can watch the Asia Cup, but the situation remains complex,” he said.
Adding to the concern, Indian broadcasters had already sold digital rights in Pakistan to a local consortium for $4.3 million, heightening pressure on traditional broadcasters.
Even if no Pakistan-India match takes place, the official broadcaster was reportedly unwilling to revise the pricing — raising doubts over the feasibility of the deal. In past ICC events, similar complexities had forced broadcasters to prepare for dual scenarios: with or without Indo-Pak matches.
With the deal now finalized by PTV, fans can expect to watch all ACC events live — but not without behind-the-scenes battles off the field.
