Star Sports is the linear-television half of the Reliance–Disney cricket rights portfolio in India. JioHotstar carries the streaming; Star Sports carries the TV channels — same IPL matches, same ICC events, same India bilateral series, same regional-language commentary.
For TV viewers on DTH, Star Sports is the cricket broadcast destination. The six-channel language network is the broadest live cricket coverage on Indian television.
Where to watch in India legally
Star Sports channels are available on every major Indian DTH operator: Tata Play, Dish TV, Airtel Xstream, Sun Direct, and via the JioTV DTH bundle on JioFiber broadband. The channel lineup:
| Channel | Commentary | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Star Sports 1 | English | IPL, ICC, India men’s series — primary feed |
| Star Sports 1 Hindi | Hindi | Same matches, Hindi commentary |
| Star Sports 2 | English | Pre/post-match shows, simulcast, secondary content |
| Star Sports Tamil | Tamil | Regional-language IPL + India matches |
| Star Sports Telugu | Telugu | Regional-language IPL + India matches |
| Star Sports Kannada | Kannada | Regional-language IPL + India matches |
| Star Sports Bangla | Bengali | Regional-language IPL + India matches |
| Star Sports Marathi | Marathi | Regional-language IPL + India matches |
DTH pricing (2026 reference)
| Operator | Sports-inclusive base pack | Star Sports add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Tata Play | ₹450/month | Included in most sports packs |
| Dish TV | ₹380/month | Included in sports HD pack |
| Airtel Xstream | ₹420/month | Included in entertainment + sports combo |
| Sun Direct | ₹350/month | Included in regional sports add-on |
| JioFiber + JioTV | Bundled with broadband | Included in JioFiber 1,499+ plans |
Regional-language feeds are sometimes a separate add-on — Star Sports Tamil and Telugu typically bundle with the regional-language entertainment pack on Sun Direct and Tata Play.
Pan-region availability
Star Sports is an India-only network. The Star Sports brand was discontinued in international markets through the 2020s as separate rights deals went to:
| Market | Equivalent broadcaster |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports Cricket |
| Australia | Fox Cricket |
| United States | Willow TV |
| South Africa | SuperSport |
| Middle East | Starzplay / OSN Sports (selected) |
Cricket catalogue on Star Sports
Cricket schedule — legal broadcasters by country
Pan-region rights split. Times and channels confirmed against official broadcaster releases; tour windows may shift — check the rights-holder app for kick-off the day of play.
| Series | Format | Window | Teams | India (legal) | Pakistan (legal) | UK (legal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICC Champions Trophy 2026 | ODI | Feb 2026 | 8 nations (TBC host: Pakistan) | Star Sports / JioHotstar | PTV Sports / Tapmad TV | Sky Sports Cricket |
| IPL 2026 | T20 league | Mar–May 2026 | 10 franchises | Star Sports + JioHotstar | Not licensed (PEMRA blackout) | Sky Sports Cricket |
| PSL 2026 | T20 league | Apr–May 2026 | 6 franchises | Sony Sports (subject to confirmation) | PTV Sports / Tapmad TV / A Sports | Sky Sports / Willow TV |
| Indian Premier League final & playoffs | T20 knockout | May 2026 | Top-4 IPL | Star Sports + JioHotstar | Not licensed | Sky Sports Cricket |
| England tour of India | Tests + ODIs + T20Is | Jan–Feb 2026 | India vs England | Star Sports + JioHotstar | PTV / Ten Sports | Sky Sports Cricket / TNT Sports |
| Australia vs India ODI series | ODI | Oct–Nov 2026 (tentative) | India vs Australia | Sony Sports / JioHotstar | Ten Sports | Sky Sports Cricket |
| ICC T20 World Cup 2026 | T20 World Cup | Feb–Mar 2026 (India + Sri Lanka hosts) | 20 nations | Star Sports + JioHotstar + DD Sports (selected) | PTV / A Sports | Sky Sports Cricket |
| BBL 2025/26 finals | T20 league knockout | Feb 2026 | Top-5 BBL | Sony Sports | Sony Sports (selected) | BT Sport / TNT Sports |
| The Hundred 2026 | 100-ball league | Aug 2026 | 8 franchises | Sony Sports (TBC) | TBC | Sky Sports + BBC (selected) |
| CPL 2026 | T20 league | Aug–Sep 2026 | 6 franchises | FanCode / Star Sports | Tapmad TV | Sky Sports / FanCode |
| ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 | T20 World Cup (Women) | Jun 2026 (England host) | 10 nations | Star Sports / JioHotstar | PTV | Sky Sports + BBC |
| Asia Cup 2026 | T20 / ODI (TBC) | Sep 2026 | 6 nations | Star Sports / JioHotstar | PTV / A Sports | Sky Sports |
| WTC 2025–27 cycle: India tests | Test | Through Jun 2027 | India + opponents | Star Sports + JioHotstar | Ten Sports | Sky Sports Cricket |
| Sri Lanka tour of Australia | ODI + T20I | Feb 2026 | Sri Lanka vs Australia | FanCode | Tapmad TV | Sky Sports (selected) |
| Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI series | ODI | Apr 2026 | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Ten Sports | PTV Sports / A Sports | Sky Sports (selected) |
Smartcric Guide is editorial only — we do not host, embed or link to unauthorised streams. Match access is via the licensed broadcaster apps listed above.
How to subscribe
- Pick a DTH operator with a sports-inclusive base pack — Tata Play and Airtel Xstream are the most common. Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi are included in nearly every sports add-on.
- Add the regional-language channel you want if your operator doesn’t bundle it — Sun Direct is strong for Tamil and Telugu, Tata Play is strong for Bangla and Marathi.
- For viewers without DTH, JioHotstar is the streaming alternative — same matches, same regional commentary, app-based.
Smartcric Guide does not stream Star Sports content. Copyright: [email protected].