Nine and Fox Sports have signed an eleventh hour deal to broadcast the Twenty20 World Cup in India, which begins tomorrow.
Nine will broadcast Australia's games, with the first against New Zealand on Friday, and finals, while Fox Sports will show all 35 matches and the women's Twenty20 World Cup.
Australian fans had faced a blackout after rights holder Star India - a News Corp company - had wanted to sell the rights as part of a package of major International Cricket Council events over seven years, rather than as a separate event.
"It’s a fantastic outcome for cricket fans and for the sport. I’m sure the whole country will be right behind Steve Smith and his men as they aim to win their first ICC World Twenty20 title," Fox Sports chief executive Patrick Delaney says.
Star paid US$1.98 billion for global rights to ICC events from 2015 to 2023, but it is unclear how much Nine and Fox Sports have paid for the T20 World Cup.
If Australia does well, it could provie a ratings winner. Ten's coverage of the summer's Big Bash League drew in an average audience of 759,000 people, 25% above the previous season, and Australia's team features several BBL stars including Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner.
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