T20 World Cup: India-Pak no-show threat dents ad demand, rates under pressure

New Delhi: Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India match in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is set to hurt advertising sentiment, with multiple advertisers saying their interest has dipped.

Pakistan cleared its team on Sunday to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 7, but said it “shall not take the field” for the February 15 match against India in Colombo.

Advertisers across categories said the bigger issue is not just one match, but the uncertainty it injects into the entire package.

Several brands said they are not committing until the ICC’s position is clearer, and that the India–Pakistan fixture is the anchor around which the World Cup’s commercial value is typically negotiated.

One of the top IPL advertisers told BestMediaInfo.com that the India–Pakistan game is the kind of leverage that forms the base for any advertiser to come on board for World Cups.

“Think of 14–15 TVR for the India–Pak match. Which marketer would leave such an unparalleled opportunity to reach out to a deduplicated audience of this level?” quipped a senior executive at a brand that has been present in almost all IPL seasons since its launch.

The executive said the match is not just another high-rating event, but a total GRP booster that lifts the average for the entire tournament deal.

“Even India games against other opponents do not deliver the same scale and urgency, and non-India matches cannot compensate for the kind of unique reach the India–Pakistan clash delivers in a single window,” the executive said.

“Without that strong driver, the broadcaster may not be able to hold its rates. Most of the sponsorship deals are still awaiting closure, depending on who blinks first in the negotiations. With the India–Pak match off the shelf, the pressure shifts to the broadcaster,” the executive added.

Multiple advertisers and their agencies that BestMediaInfo.com spoke to said that if the India–Pakistan match drops out, it forces a reset of the value equation on which negotiations are currently built.

They said it affects the CPRP math and the overall deal construct, and could push brands either to delay closure or seek sharper protections in the package.

Sources on the broadcaster side are hopeful that the ICC will find a solution over the next week.

“In case of a walkover, we will miss out on the leverage this match used to offer. But at the same time, our relationship with advertisers will come into play,” said a source at JioStar.

“If this boycott does hit the ground, it is specifically for just one game, to be played on the 15th. The possibility of India–Pak matches in the later stages remains alive, if not guaranteed. We anticipate the ad hit is limited to one match, and not the overall sentiment around the tournament,” the source added.

JioStar has also been closing premium digital sponsorship deals around the tournament. The broadcaster recently onboarded Hyundai Motor India Limited as the Connected TV (CTV) co-powered sponsor for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on JioHotstar​​.

However, media buyers said the market is not fully convinced that the commercial damage would stay limited to one fixture.

They pointed out that if Pakistan is unwilling to take the field against India in the group stage, the same position could extend to a knockout clash, where the stakes are even higher.

They also flagged a practical risk: if brands lock deals now and a later India–Pakistan match does not happen, there is limited scope to reopen terms.

A top media agency head expressed apprehension that a few clients may lose interest, while others may return to renegotiate the deal.

“Advertisers will lose a huge high-interest match with the highest rating potential. Some clients will pull out if the India–Pakistan match is not played, or at least they will renegotiate hard,” the agency head noted.

The agency head said relationships matter, but they do not override basic value.

“If a marquee match materially changes or drops out, the package needs repricing,” the agency head argued.