The International League T20 (ILT20) continues to position itself as one of the most compelling T20 properties, with Season 4 delivering significant gains in global reach and commercial maturity.Speaking on the league’s growth, Ishan Chopra, Head of Partnerships – ILT20 & Commercial Head at the Emirates Cricket Board, outlined how the tournament has scaled rapidly across both linear and digital platforms.
A 400 million audience and multi-market reachFrom a sports business standpoint, the ILT20’s claim as the second-most watched T20 league globally is rooted in both scale and distribution efficiency.“In Season 4, we delivered close to 400 million viewers across Linear and OTT globally, which I believe puts us firmly in the top tier of cricket properties outside the IPL ecosystem,” said Chopra in queries shared by TimesofIndia.com.India remains the primary consumption market, contributing over 250 million viewers. However, the league’s differentiator lies in its simultaneous reach across multiple regions.
Desert Vipers defeated MI Emirates by 46 runs to win ILT20 season 4 (ILT20)
“We’re simultaneously reaching audiences in the UK, US, Pakistan and the larger MENA region within the same broadcast window,” he explained.This hybrid distribution model — combining strong linear penetration with rapidly growing OTT consumption — has enabled ILT20 to evolve into a globally distributed media property rather than just a regional tournament.Partnerships beyond visibilityFor Chopra, the true indicator of a league’s health lies in its partnerships — and ILT20’s ecosystem appears to be maturing.“We’ve seen some strong retention across our key partners. And more importantly, we’re seeing partners that actually deepen their engagement with the league year on year.”Brands are no longer treating the league as a visibility platform alone. Instead, they are integrating campaigns, creating digital content, and using ILT20 to drive measurable business outcomes.
Desert Vipers won the fourth season of the ILT20 title
“They’re not just coming in for visibility anymore. They’re building campaigns, creating content on digital and really using the ILT20 as a platform to drive business outcomes.”While the league is still in its growth phase, its foundations remain strong — driven by a global player pool, prime-time accessibility across markets, and a robust broadcast ecosystem.“We were across all sports channels… and now we focused on evolving partnerships, basically from traditional sponsorships to a more integrated collaboration.”Compelling business case for brandsILT20’s core proposition lies in its ability to deliver a global audience within a highly efficient broadcast window — leveraging the UAE’s strategic time zone.“Because of the UAE’s time zone we are able to tap into India, the UK, the Middle East and even parts of the US… in a single broadcast cycle,” said Chopra.For brands, this creates a rare opportunity to access multiple key markets simultaneously.
Six players from Saudi Arabia were included in the fourth season of the ILT20. (Image: ILT20)
From an investment standpoint, Chopra highlighted the advantage of entering during the league’s growth phase: “Partners that are coming in right now are at a point where they can actually build equity with the property rather than just buy inventory.”The league’s structured ecosystem—spanning central partnerships, franchise opportunities, and digital integrations — also allows brands to engage at multiple levels.Season 5 and beyondLooking ahead to Season 5 in December, ILT20’s roadmap is clear — deepen engagement, expand globally, and build long-term value.“We want to deepen fan engagement especially on digital. We want to expand our international footprint further and get in more broadcast partners.”“We’d like to create more bespoke partner-led IPs within the league… which we can already see happening in the previous seasons.”Ultimately, the focus is not just on scaling numbers but on building a sustainable, premium sports property.“It’s not just about growing numbers, it’s also about building a sustainable premium sports property that delivers consistent value to all stakeholders,” he stated.
