Cricket Ireland’s first ever full test match against Pakistan in two weeks time, and the one-day international matches against India taking place at Malahide, will be the most watched event ever to take place in Ireland.

Three major deals have been secured that will see the game broadcast around the world on a scale that no Irish event, including Eurovision Song Contests and Rugby World Cup matches, has ever achieved.

Sky Sports will broadcast live coverage of every ball across the Test match, while international media group Pitch International have sold the rights across multiple countries around the world, including to the massive markets of India and Pakistan.

RTÉ will show a one-hour highlights package on each evening of the Test Match and the two one day Internationals against India.

“This broadcast package is set to break Irish sporting records, as we anticipate that the T20I series against India alone will be the biggest worldwide TV audience of any event – sporting or otherwise – ever staged in Ireland,” said Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland.

“Since being confirmed as a Full Member of the International Cricket Council in June 2017, we have seen unprecedented interest in Irish cricket – most notably from a range of potential broadcast partners.”

“We are delighted to announce the structure of the broadcasting schedule for the coming season, and we anticipate our fans worldwide will be pleased with the comprehensive nature of the package.”

The broadcast package is in three parts:

  • Sky Sports will broadcast ball-by-ball coverage in the Ireland and UK markets of the Test Match against Pakistan (11-15 May 2018) and the two T20Is against India (27 and 29 June 2018).
  • RTÉ Television will broadcast a 1-hour highlights package of every day’s play for the Test Match against Pakistan and the two T20Is against India.
  • Pitch International have sold the overseas television broadcast rights in a number of countries, across a number of networks including in key markets like the US, Canada, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Australia.

“The combined broadcast audience for our summer of men’s cricket will reach many millions of sets of eyeballs – a remarkable achievement for a sporting team that only entered the global consciousness just over a decade ago after its heroics at the 2007 Cricket World Cup,” added Deutrom.

“It’s been an amazing trajectory over the last 10 years. From playing in front of a few hundred a few short years ago, to playing last year at Lord’s Cricket Ground in front of 25,000 – and now we are set to take that next step.”

“To know so many people around the world are interested in our team should be a moment of pride for everyone connected with Irish cricket.”

RTÉ Sport confirmed that the Test Match and T20I highlights shows will on broadcast on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

“Cricket Ireland’s long journey to Test status reaches a fitting conclusion with a first ever Test Match at home against Pakistan and it is appropriate that the national broadcaster should be there to bring highlights of this historic occasion to Irish viewers free-to-air,” said RTÉ Group Head of Sport, Ryle Nugent.

“RTÉ Sport will also have highlights of both of Ireland’s home T20 Internationals versus India. It’s a fantastic start to the new chapter in Irish Cricket and RTÉ Sport are delighted to bring these games to the Irish audience.”

Cricket Ireland has also signed a deal with ITW Consulting to deliver all broadcast production and in-ground advertising rights during the matches.

 

Over the coming ten days Sport for Business will be reporting on the work that has gone into creating a stadium in Malahide which will be shown to the world.  It is a measure of the ambition of Cricket Ireland that they have come so far.

If you want to be a part of history, a limited number of tickets are still available for the Pakistan Test Match.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS FOR MALAHIDE FROM ONLY €30 HERE