Here's how Rishabh Pant played significant role in Cricket Australia clinching attractive Disney Star deal

Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s batting antics during the fourth Test match against Australia in 2020/21 could have played a big role in Cricket Australia (CA) bagging a media rights deal with Disney Star worth AUD360 million.

To note, the left-handed batter played an excellent innings of an unbeaten 89 runs as the visitors managed to beat Australia at their fortress Gabba by three wickets and also completed a famous Test series victory on Australian soil. As per a report published in The Sydney Morning Herald, the innings could have played a vital role in CA signing a major deal with Disney Star.

CA’s agreement with Disney Star is larger than the fee Nine was paying: Reports

The report said that “Pant’s phenomenal innings to deliver India the Gabba Test and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in January 2021 remained fresh in plenty of executive memories”. The report also stated that the current CA agreement with Disney Star is “larger than the fee Nine was paying, as recently as a decade ago, for all cricket in Australia — AUD275 million between 2006 and 2013″.

With Star confirming its deal with CA, it will now become the official broadcaster of Australia’s international matches apart from having the official broadcasting rights for Men’s Big Bash League (BBL) and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). To note, Star recently also purchased the TV broadcast rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) after paying a huge amount of INR 23,575 crore for the 2023-27 cycle.

“We are delighted to announce this new association with Disney Star from season 2023-24 onwards,” the Chief Executive Officer of the CA, Nick Hockley, was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.“Disney Star is synonymous with the game in India and we look forward to working with them to showcase the outstanding cricket played in Australia every summer.”

“The magnitude of this association is testament to the enduring rivalry and respect that exists between Australian and Indian teams, the excitement and popularity of WBBL and BBL, and the high regard of Australian cricket in India and global markets more broadly,” he added.