JioStar cancels IPL broadcast deal with Bangladesh

A major corporate setback has occurred amid ongoing tensions over the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangladesh. JioStar, the company owned by Indian business tycoon Mukesh Ambani, has cancelled the IPL broadcast agreement with Bangladesh due to non-payment within the stipulated timeframe. The Women's Premier League (WPL) broadcast deal has also been cancelled for the same reason. As a result, the future of broadcasting these two mega tournaments in Bangladesh now faces deep uncertainty.

The local sports channel T Sports had the rights to broadcast IPL in Bangladesh from 2023 to 2027. They had acquired these rights through a sub-licensing agreement with JioStar. However, JioStar has cancelled the agreement with T Sports due to complications related to payment.

In a letter, the company stated that the agreement was terminated immediately due to consistent failure to make payments within the stipulated timeframe as per the contract terms. Consequently, there will be no official broadcaster for this tournament in Bangladesh this season.

Earlier, following tensions between the two countries after Bangladeshi left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in January last year, the then government had suspended IPL broadcast in Bangladesh.

Recently, the current government announced a review of the ban. The Ministry of Information had stated that there was no government objection if Star Sports or any other channel wanted to broadcast IPL. However, soon after this green signal from the government, the primary rights holder JioStar cancelled the agreement. Thus, despite the change in government policy, the prospect of watching IPL in Bangladesh remains uncertain due to the absence of a broadcaster.