The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 will witness a thrilling face-off between India and Pakistan at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday, February 15. This much-anticipated match is creating a sensational buzz. As the India-Pakistan showdown approaches, a remarkable surge in the advertising market is evident. Companies are capitalizing on the match's high viewership by investing heavily in ad slots, while prices for flights and hotels have skyrocketed due to a massive influx of fans.
Industry experts report that the cost for a 10-second TV ad slot for this high-voltage match has soared to 3-4 million Rupees, up from the usual 2-2.5 million Rupees for major World Cup matches. Prices for last-minute ad slots have increased by 20 to 25 percent, with all slots expected to sell out during the match. Broadcaster Geostar estimates earning around 20 billion Rupees from ads throughout the tournament.
Read more: If the match against India is washed out, Pakistan benefits... these 3 teams will be out of the T20 World Cup
The digital streaming platform, JioHotstar, also witnesses a significant rise in ad rates, with a 10-second ad slot reaching 1.5-2 million Rupees. Companies from sectors like automobile, FMCG, finance, insurance, and real estate are showing the most interest in ad space.
Prominent advertisers in this T20 World Cup include Emirates, Amul, OpenAI, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Britannia, and several other big brands. Marketing experts liken India-Pakistan match ad rates to the soaring prices of gold and silver.
The number of cricket fans traveling from India to Colombo is rapidly increasing. According to travel platform EaseMyTrip, round-trip airfare has inflated by 45 to 50 percent compared to regular days. MakeMyTrip highlighted that bookings for Colombo over the February 15 weekend have doubled in the past three days.
Read more: Sunil Gavaskar gives Pakistani spinner a clean chit, says nothing wrong with the action
Meanwhile, Cleartrip reports about a 65 percent increase in bookings to Colombo due to the India-Pakistan match, particularly from major Indian cities.
Hotel searches and bookings in Colombo are also witnessing an unprecedented surge. Demand for four and five-star hotels in the city center is especially high, with room rates increasing by 20 to 25 percent compared to regular seasons. According to the hotel industry, nearly all premium properties are on the brink of being fully booked during the match period.
