In a move that will delight Indian cricket fans, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has advanced the start times of three T20 Internationals against India by one hour — from 11 PM IST to 10 PM IST — to maximize television viewership in the subcontinent .
New Timings for the Series
The five-match T20I series, part of India's white-ball tour of England from July 1-19, originally had three evening matches scheduled for 6:30 PM local time (11 PM IST). Following discussions between the ECB, venues, the BCCI, and broadcasters Sky Sports (UK) and Sony Sports Network (India), these matches will now begin at 5:30 PM local time (10 PM IST) .
1st T20I – July 1, Riverside Ground, Chester‑le‑Street, 10:00 PM IST
2nd T20I – July 4, Old Trafford, Manchester, 7:00 PM IST
3rd T20I – July 7, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 10:00 PM IST
4th T20I – July 9, County Ground, Bristol, 10:00 PM IST
5th T20I – July 11, The Rose Bowl, Southampton, 7:00 PM IST
The second and fifth T20Is will continue to start at 7 PM IST, while all three ODIs (July 14, 16, and 19) remain scheduled for afternoon starts ranging from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST .
A Financial Decision
The timing change moves away from the 6:30 PM local slot that had become standard in recent seasons. The decision underscores English cricket's significant financial reliance on "high-value broadcast series" — essentially, those featuring India — as highlighted in the ECB's recently published financial report .
According to the report, the ECB is projected to register a profit this year driven by India's tour, though it anticipates losses in 2027 despite hosting the Ashes against Australia at home .
Benefits for Indian Viewers
For Indian fans, the shift means matches will now conclude around 2 AM IST rather than stretching deep until 3 AM IST, making late-night viewing slightly more manageable . The change was finalized after consultations involving all stakeholders, including the BCCI and both domestic and overseas broadcasters .
As Team India, now led by newly-appointed T20 captain Shreyas Iyer, prepares for the eight-match white-ball tour, the adjusted timings ensure that millions of fans across the country can tune in at a marginally more convenient hour — a testament to the immense pulling power of Indian cricket audiences worldwide.
