Sky Sports nears last-minute deal for Pakistan-England Test series coverage

England Captain Ben Stokes included in the 17-man squad for Test series against Pakistan as he recovers from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of Sri Lanka series. PHOTO: AFP

Sky Sports is reportedly on the brink of securing a deal to broadcast England's upcoming Test series in Pakistan, which is set to begin next week.

The agreement, expected to be finalised in the coming days, will provide coverage of the highly anticipated series after earlier uncertainty surrounding broadcast rights.

The England team arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday amidst logistical challenges.

The venues for the three-match Test series, starting with two Tests in Multan and a third in Rawalpindi, were confirmed just 17 days before the first ball is set to be bowled.

This last-minute arrangement comes as local stadiums undergo renovations ahead of February’s Champions Trophy, creating scheduling difficulties for both players and broadcasters.

Sky Sports, which previously broadcast England's tour of Pakistan in 2022, stepped in after initial negotiations with other UK networks fell through.

Sources suggest the deal is awaiting approval from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Whether the agreement covers just this series or could evolve into a long-term partnership remains unclear.

The broadcasting team, expected to include familiar Sky Sports analysts like Ian Ward, Nasser Hussain, and Michael Atherton, will be joined by local commentators such as David Gower, Urooj Mumtaz, and Ramiz Raja.

Meanwhile, TNT Sports has yet to show interest in broadcasting the Pakistan series, despite holding rights for various other international cricket tours, including England’s upcoming tours of the West Indies and New Zealand.

Their lack of engagement with the Pakistan series raises questions about their future broadcast strategies.

BBC’s Test Match Special has secured the radio broadcast rights. The company plans to send its own team to cover the series, including veteran correspondent Jonathan Agnew on his final tour.

October is shaping up to be a busy month for Sky Sports, with morning Test matches from Pakistan followed by Women’s T20 World Cup coverage from the UAE in the afternoons.

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