On May 17, MRF ended its partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC). MRF was a partner of the ICC for eight years and ended it just two weeks prior to the T20 World Cup.
MRF’s move comes as other premium sponsors of the ICC too are contemplating their association, according to a report on CricketNext. Reports also suggest that sponsors are unhappy with the current management of international cricket and are currently reevaluating their partnerships with the ICC. MRF has officially withdrawn.
Excluding DP World and Aramco who are yet to express concerns regarding the ongoing partnership with the ICC, most of the other sponsors are figuring out their returns on the investment or working on an exit strategy.
Partners evaluating their stance is understandable given that the T20 World Cup is being played in a time zone that is not suitable for their interests, with the earliest match starting at 8pm IST. Additionally, the ICC’s very dull build-up hasn’t helped either, reported CricketNext.
There has been no formal announcement of a new global sponsor from the ICC. A decision is likely to be made on the same at the end of the T20 World Cup.