ECB adjusts India T20I start times to boost TV audience in 2026

England hosts India for five T20Is in July 2026 with adjusted start times to maximize TV viewership.

India’s England tour schedule India’s men’s team will play eight white-ball matches during their visit to England from July 1 to July 19 in 2026. The itinerary includes five T20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals. Initially, the three evening fixtures in the T20I series were set to begin at 6:30pm local time, which translates to 11pm IST, but those have since been moved earlier to 5:30pm local starts (10pm IST) following talks with broadcasting partners. ## Coordinating broadcast-friendly timings Finalizing start times for England’s home internationals involves input from the England and Wales Cricket Board, host venues, visiting boards, and both domestic and international broadcasters. For these matches, Sky Sports in the UK and the Sony Sports Network in India were part of the discussions that led to the adjusted schedules. ## Financial reliance on India’s tour The shift from the usual 6:30pm local starts highlights English cricket’s dependence on high-revenue broadcast series, specifically those featuring India. This reliance was highlighted in a recently published financial report by the ECB. The board projects a profit for 2026 due to India’s tour but expects a loss in 2027 even with England set to host the men’s Ashes against Australia. The report notes that ECB revenues fluctuate based on the scheduling of these high-value broadcast series by opposing nations. ## Ticket demand for India’s fixtures Tickets for India’s tour went on sale late in the previous year and have seen strong demand. All three One-Day Internationals have sold out, while the five T20 Internationals still have a limited number of tickets available. In the English summer, sunset occurs after 9pm, meaning all five T20 matches could conclude before floodlights are required. ## India’s squad and leadership change India named a 16-member squad for the T20I series against England and a two-match stop in Belfast against Ireland. Shreyas Iyer takes over as captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav. The squad also includes 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been included in a senior India team for the first time. India will play two T20Is in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before facing England. ## Growing interest in Ireland-India games Cricket Ireland has observed a recent rise in interest for the two T20Is against India. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could make his international debut in these matches. Despite this increased attention, both fixtures at Stormont in Belfast had already sold out before the squad announcement, with the venue set to accommodate around 4,500 spectators.