PCB sells home TV rights to PTV at about half the reserve after single bid
On 6 October 2026 the Pakistan Cricket Board sold the broadcast rights for 25 home international matches to state broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation after PTV was the sole bidder, accepting an offer of 350 million against a reserve price of 600 million rupees.
The PCB issued a tender a few days before the sale and did not permit consortium bids, a departure from recent practice, which left only single-entity offers eligible. The package sold covers 25 matches: five Tests, 14 ODIs and six T20Is. The board’s decision not to allow consortium bids was cited as a factor that narrowed participation.
A source attributed weak commercial interest to on-field form and advertiser caution, saying: "The problem is that the performance of the national teams have been below par in recent times and sponsors and advertisers for now are aloof." The source linked this market hesitancy directly to lower bids.
The same source pointed to outstanding payments from previous deals as another deterrent, noting that "at least three broadcasters still owe money to the Board for previous deals they made as consortiums," which reduced the pool of bidders. "These broadcasters who owe money were not barred from participating in the bidding process, they chose not to take part. A company that has acquired most of Pakistan cricket's rights in the past also showed no interest," the source added.
Commercial interest in recent domestic properties has struggled as well: when the Pakistan Super League's 11th edition was held earlier this year with two new teams, the PCB did not receive the expected response for broadcasting rights. The source also said one broadcaster who purchased last year's PSL rights still owes the board in billions.
The newly sold package includes immediate fixtures on Pakistan’s home calendar: three T20 internationals against Sri Lanka this month, a seven-match triangular ODI series involving England, and two Tests against Sri Lanka next month. The agreement also covers fixtures in January 2027 — three T20Is against Ireland followed by a seven-match triangular series involving Ireland and Zimbabwe — although Zimbabwe have indicated they are not in a position to travel to Pakistan because of their internal board issues.
The first matches under the new deal begin with the three T20Is versus Sri Lanka scheduled for this month, followed by the triangular ODI series featuring England and then the two Tests next month, all of which fall inside the sold broadcast package.
