A playbook for cricket’s next innings
Cricket 2.0: Playing on the front foot
As cricket expands its global footprint, it is attracting new audiences, diversifying its formats, and unlocking fresh opportunities that are set to shape its future trajectory.
Cricket stands at the cusp of a transformative era, evolving from a long-format, geographically concentrated sport into a fast-paced, entertainment-driven, and technology-enabled global product.
Powered by the rise of T20 franchise leagues such as the IPL, live cricket has emerged as one of the last forms of entertainment that prompts audiences to pause, tune in, and watch with undivided attention—reshaping the sport’s commercial, cultural, and competitive landscape.
As cricket reaches new heights, six strategic imperatives will shape its future: modernising infrastructure, doubling down on women’s cricket, harnessing technology and data, driving innovation in fan engagement, strengthening governance and sustainability, and internationalising the sport.
The future of cricket will belong to those who recognise that growth is not merely an outcome, but a responsibility: one that demands balancing scale with sustainability, innovation with inclusion, and performance with purpose.
At a glance
The CAGR at which the global sports market is projected to grow, expanding from USD 456 billion in 2025 to USD 630 billion by 2030.
The CAGR at which the Indian sports market is set to grow, nearly doubling from USD 60.7 billion in 2025 to USD 116.5 billion by 2030.
The CAGR at which the global cricket market is set to expand, growing from USD 7 billion in 2025 to USD 8.6 billion by 2028.
The CAGR at which the Indian cricket market is set to expand, growing from USD 4.1 billion in 2025 to USD 6 billion by 2028.
T20 and short formats are primary growth engines
“Once viewed largely as a traditional, long-format sport with a geographically concentrated fan base, cricket is now at an inflection point, evolving into a fast-paced, entertainment-driven, technology-enabled global product.”
“Powered by the rise of T20 franchise leagues such as the IPL, live cricket has emerged as one of the few forms of entertainment that prompts audiences to pause, tune in, and watch with undivided attention—reshaping the sport’s commercial, cultural, and competitive landscape.”
Once viewed largely as a traditional, long-format sport with a geographically concentrated fan base, cricket is now at an inflection point, evolving into a fast-paced, entertainment-driven, technology-enabled global product.
T20 is the preferred format for younger and new fans globally, making it the most powerful engine for expanding cricket’s future revenue base. Franchise-based T20 leagues offer platforms for talent development, fan engagement, and significant commercial opportunities. The IPL has set the global benchmark, and its success and scale powerfully substantiate the potency of the T20 format in cricket. In fact, most modern T20 leagues draw heavily on the IPL blueprint. Prominent examples include South Africa’s SA20, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL).
IPL: T20’s billion-dollar blueprint
Sources 1, 2 and 3 (enclosed below)
Interestingly, it is the fan-favourite T20 format that will usher cricket into the Olympics — a milestone moment that can take the sport truly global. At the same time, cricket’s inclusion opens the door for the Games to engage entire regions of the world that have long sat on its periphery.
Why cricket in Olympics is a win-win
Source: PwC analysis
Women’s cricket is key to the sport’s broader growth story
Women’s cricket has seen remarkable growth, rise in popularity, and global visibility. The push for pay parity has gained momentum in recent years. In a landmark decision in 2022, the BCCI announced equal match fees for men and women cricketers in international cricket,7 followed by the ICC’s introduction of equal prize money for both the men’s and women’s World Cups in 2025.8 With attendances breaking all previous records at global events and the expansion of professional leagues such as India’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) and Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), opportunities for female cricketers are increasing.
WPL: Rewriting women’s cricket economics
Sources 4, 5 and 6 (enclosed below)
Digital and OTT dominate as emerging revenue channels
Our survey signalled a decisive shift away from traditional broadcast-dependent models towards technology-led, data-driven revenue generation across the cricket ecosystem. Digital subscriptions and OTT platforms (35%) were identified as the most promising emerging revenue stream, followed by e-sports and gaming partnerships (25%) and data monetisation with personalised fan experiences (20%).
Sports revenue generation models
Note: ‘Others’ includes merchandising and licensing, sports tourism, and blockchain-based fan engagement models such as NFTs and digital collectibles.
Technology, cricket fan engagement, and digital evolution (AR/VR)
Technology has emerged as a defining force in cricket, reshaping how the sport is played, developed, governed, and consumed. AI and predictive analytics are being leveraged to monitor player performance metrics, optimise game strategy and reinvent fan engagement. Meanwhile, India’s sports technology sector is growing rapidly, with India’s sports-tech startups widening access to advanced training, performance feedback, and data-driven coaching.
Commercialisation and sponsorship: Cricket’s new power play
The growth of sports sponsorship is driven by high-profile endorsement opportunities provided through sponsors, as well as the substantial revenue streams generated from stadium naming rights and major sports event sponsorships.
“Powered by the rise of T20 franchise leagues such as the IPL, live cricket has emerged as one of the few forms of entertainment that prompts audiences to pause, tune in, and watch with undivided attention—reshaping the sport’s commercial, cultural, and competitive landscape.”
The sponsorship surge
Source: PwC analysis
Business model of cricket leagues
Ramping it up
For India and the global ecosystem, the coming decade offers a rare opportunity to capitalise on the momentum of Cricket 2.0 by creating sustainable economic value, reimagining fan engagement, driving gender and social inclusion, and firmly establishing cricket as a global cultural and commercial force.
The report identifies a set of strategic imperatives for the next phase of cricket’s growth:
- Modernising infrastructure
- Doubling down on women’s cricket
- Harnessing technology and data
- Driving innovation in fan engagement
- Strengthening governance and sustainability
- Internationalising the sport
Modernising infrastructure
- Develop tech-enabled stadiums and training centres
- Invest in community-level facilities to widen participation and deepen the talent pool
Doubling down on women’s cricket
- Sustain investment in women’s leagues, national teams, and grassroots programmes
- Design marketing and sponsorship frameworks to unlock long-term value
Harnessing technology and data
- Institutionalise the use of analytics in performance management
- Encourage partnerships between franchises, federations, and sports-tech firms
Driving innovation in fan engagement
- Embrace D2C platforms, personalised content, and interactive viewing experiences
- Invest in content strategies that engage fans year-round
Strengthening governance and sustainability
- Enhance transparency, integrity systems, and financial sustainability in leagues and governing bodies
- Incorporate ESG considerations into infrastructure, event management, and community programmes
Internationalising the sport
- Develop leagues and pathways in non-traditional cricket countries
- Grow the global fan base with exhibition matches, bilateral tours, and grassroots collaborations
Technology has emerged as a defining force in cricket, reshaping how the sport is played, developed, governed, and consumed. AI and predictive analytics are being leveraged to monitor player performance metrics, optimise game strategy and reinvent fan engagement. Meanwhile, India’s sports technology sector is growing rapidly, with India’s sports-tech startups using technology such as sensor-based smart equipment, motion analytics, and live match scoring and streaming platforms to widen access to advanced training, performance feedback, and data-driven coaching.
While commercially established formats such as T20 continue to thrive, newer formats, including T10 and The Hundred are attracting younger audiences and expanding the fan base. At the same time, women’s cricket is experiencing unprecedented growth, reflected in rising media rights valuations, increased sponsor investment, and the emergence of more structured league models. Meanwhile, the multi‑club ownership model is poised to shape the next phase of cricket’s growth, allowing franchise leagues to truly go global, with several IPL owners managing teams across multiple T20 leagues worldwide.
Cricket infrastructure has undergone a profound evolution. Our analysis indicates that investments in Indian stadium construction and renovations alone are expected to surpass USD588 million by 2024. Furthermore, numerous modern stadiums now function as premier entertainment and tourism destinations. Next generation stadiums are also increasingly committing to environmental sustainability and resource efficiency. Practices such as rain-water harvesting and on-site water treatment and urban ecological elements (green cover/biodiversity zones) are rapidly gaining traction.
Cricket has emerged as a powerful force for social inclusion, empowerment, and community transformation across the world. Globally, grassroots cricket initiatives form the bedrock of community development, transforming urban slums, rural villages, and underserved regions into hubs of social mobility and resilience. Team sports such as cricket have emerged as a powerful confidence building platform for young girls. Beyond gender, cricket in India also offers a powerful platform to athletes with disabilities, with the blind, deaf, and wheelchair cricket teams building competitive ecosystems.
About the survey
PwC and FICCI jointly conducted a survey of nearly 50 industry stakeholders spanning commercial partners, broadcasters, administrators, and investors to understand the key trends in the global cricket landscape.
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Abhishek
Partner - Deals, Strategy & Ops TMT Leader, PwC India
