Etilisat picks up ICC Men’s T20 World Cup rights for MENA

Etisat has acquired the rights from Star TV Network to broadcast the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup across the MENA region.

The deal, agreed in partnership with STARZPLAY, will see the telco group broadcast all 45 matches of the upcoming tournament on the CricLife Max channel via Etisalat’s eLife TV, Switch TV and the STARZPLAY app in UAE. Subscribers throughout the rest of the MENA region can watch the matches via the STARZPLAY app. 

STARZPLAY will also be streaming CricLife and CricLife2 channels which have the rights for home matches of various cricket playing nations including India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies.

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Consumer Officer, Etisalat, said: “There is no other provider better placed in the UAE to bring sports fans the complete depth and breadth of sports action. eLife customers have access to an unprecedented line-up to watch live sport from the best providers across the region. Our investment in bringing the very best of cricket action to the UAE and beyond will further solidify our drive. Partnering with STARZPLAY not only for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup but for our CricLife channels will mean more fans can watch their teams play in more places than ever before across the GCC.”

Danny Bates, Chief Commercial Officer, STARZPLAY, said: “We have been steadily building on our focus to deliver live sporting events to our subscribers, and nothing beats the joy of bringing the action of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to the region. This is a prestigious win for us, and we thank our long-standing associates, Etisalat as well as Star TV Network, for their support. With cricket widely followed in the region, we are bridging a gap for our subscribers, who can now effortlessly watch all the live cricket action from this exciting T20 championship. Our aim is to become the ultimate TV entertainment destination and we will continue to explore new and innovative ways to offer the best sporting experience for our subscribers.”

Harry Griffith, (Head of Syndication, Star TV Network), said, “This is a ground-breaking collaboration which will provide the largest ever reach for an ICC event in the region. We are delighted to associate with Etisalat and STARZPLAY to enhance the coverage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup across the Middle East. With the event being staged in the UAE and Oman it is crucial the tournament is more accessible than ever before. This is a truly exciting juncture for all cricket fans in the Middle East.”