Sky Sports Secures UK Cricket Coverage

Sky Sports have announce that they have secured live UK rights to a host of international cricket series, covering six overseas tours by the England team, including the next two Ashes series in Australia. 

Within the deal, running until 2020, the pay-TV broadcaster will show all Test, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 matches for upcoming England trips to Australia, South Africa and India. 

IMG Media, which markets international broadcast rights for Cricket Australia, has agreed a four-year deal with Sky Sports, encompassing the next two Ashes series in Australia as well as visits from South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, India and New Zealand, and the domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League. 

IMG Media has also agreed a deal with Sky Sports for Cricket South Africa’s rights until 2020, which will feature two England tours as well as home series for the Proteas – who replaced England at the top of the ICC test rankings this summer – against every other Test nation. It also includes domestic Twenty20 cricket.

A six-year deal has also been agreed to show live international cricket from India, including two England tours and series with Australia, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

The managing director of Sky Sports Barney Francis added: ‘The Ashes is one of world sport’s greatest events and we can now guarantee the next three series, home and away. Test cricket has always been core to Sky Sports and it continues this winter with the start of a six-year deal with India. Then, as England look to take the Test crown back from South Africa our viewers can see their next two series in South Africa.’

‘These deals give our viewers great live cricket guaranteed for years ahead; our cricket schedule is simply stronger than ever with England at home and on Tour, the leading ICC events, the major Test nations and a depth of county cricket, a line-up of live cricket right through the calendar.’