The New York Times has reported that political interference and monopoly in Indian cricket have negatively affected the T20 World Cup.
The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, has been controversial even before it began due to ICC’s India-favouring decisions, Bangladesh being excluded from the event, and Pakistan announcing a boycott of its match against India.
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The situation escalated to the point that an ICC delegation visited Pakistan to persuade the country to reconsider its boycott of the India clash.
According to the report, the New York Times highlighted that India’s political influence and monopoly in cricket have harmed both the sport and the credibility of the T20 World Cup.
The newspaper noted that Bangladesh refused to play in India citing security concerns, leading the ICC to remove them from the tournament.
In solidarity with Bangladesh, Pakistan decided to boycott its match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.
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Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif described this move as a “clear stance.”
The report added that Pakistan’s matches had already been shifted to Sri Lanka due to a pre-existing hybrid agreement between India and Pakistan.
The cancellation of the Pakistan-India match is expected to cause significant financial losses for the ICC, with nearly $250 million in revenue projected from this clash alone.
India’s media rights holder, JioStar, is reportedly reviewing its $3 billion contract in light of the situation.
The New York Times also linked the current tensions to political events over the past year, including a military clash between India and Pakistan in April 2025 over Kashmir, and strained relations with Bangladesh following the end of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Bangladesh also banned broadcasts of the IPL after its player, Mustafizur Rahman, was excluded from the league.
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Experts argue that India’s monopoly over cricket and the recent boycotts are significantly affecting the reputation of the T20 World Cup.
