Due to political tension, India has not toured Pakistan for 16 years and recently decided not to participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Frustrated with India’s refusal to separate politics from sports, Pakistan is now considering a boycott, potentially avoiding any matches with India and refusing future tours to India.
Between 2025 and 2031, India is set to host four major ICC events, including the Women’s ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy, and ODI World Cup. If Pakistan follows through on a boycott, ICC could suffer significant financial losses. The absence of India-Pakistan matches would reduce global viewership, potentially causing broadcasters and sponsors to reconsider contracts, affecting ICC’s revenue.
India-Pakistan matches consistently generate record-breaking viewership, exemplified by the recent ODI World Cup game in Ahmedabad, which attracted 173 million TV viewers and over 225 million digital viewers. Such matches are a substantial source of ICC revenue, with an expected $3.2 billion from broadcast rights from 2024-2027 alone. Without these high-stakes matches, the ICC faces the risk of substantial financial impact due to decreased fan interest and sponsorship.
