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Television Blackout Puts England's Tour Of Pakistan In Jeopardy - Reports

England are supposed to play a three-match Test sseries (X.com)England are supposed to play a three-match Test sseries (X.com)

Cricket enthusiasts in the UK may be in for a major letdown as the eagerly awaited Test series between England and Pakistan scheduled for this October might not be televised in the UK. 

Despite the buzz and anticipation surrounding the three-match series, no UK broadcaster has expressed interest in obtaining the rights to broadcast the matches. 

A tender document issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last month failed to attract bids from UK broadcasters and left the series in jeopardy of a TV blackout.

Reason Behind Lack Of Interest In PAK Vs ENG Tests

According to the reports of The Guardian, in December 2022, Sky Sports, which televised England’s historic 3-0 series win in Pakistan has also indicated to the PCB that it does not plan to bid for the rights this time.

Similarly, TNT Sport, which has acquired rights for recent Test series in Australia, India, New Zealand, and the West Indies, has also opted out of negotiations for the Pakistan series. 

The PCB has complicated matters by engaging a local marketing agency to sell the overseas rights instead of relying on global companies like IMG or Pitch International, who previously secured late deals for England’s Test tours which also included the one to India earlier this year.

The broadcaster now focuses on securing exclusive rights for England’s home series and major ICC events like the World Cup. 

This shift is largely due to the high costs of acquiring overseas rights and producing high-quality coverage, which is increasingly difficult to justify given the limited subscriber growth these events generate.

With neither Sky nor TNT Sport showing interest, the likelihood of the series being broadcast in the UK remains uncertain, raising concerns that England’s Test matches in Pakistan might go unseen by British audiences.

Pakistan will host England for a three-match Test series, which will start on October 7. The first match will take place in Multan, followed by Tests in Karachi and Rawalpindi.