Suryakumar Yadav fronts new Emirates cricket campaign for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Inflight Sport 24 coverage to stream tournament matches live
DUBAI – Emirates is stepping onto the cricket pitch once again with a new global advertising campaign featuring India’s star cricketer Suryakumar Yadav, timed to debut ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The Dubai-based airline is reinforcing its long-standing association with international cricket through a high-energy promotion built around one of the sport’s most recognisable modern players. The campaign is set to roll out across major cricket-following markets worldwide.
The latest commercial centres on Yadav’s dynamic batting style, presenting him in a packed stadium environment as he plays signature attacking shots before a roaring crowd. The campaign is designed as a tribute to cricket and to the airline’s decades-long presence in the global game through sponsorships, tournament partnerships and official officiating support.
T20 World Cup campaign
Emirates has maintained a consistent presence in world cricket for nearly three decades, linking its brand with major ICC tournaments across more than ten cricket-loving nations. Its visibility extends across global competitions, match venues and official officiating kits worn by umpires and referees. The airline says the new campaign aims to capture the shared excitement and emotional pull that major tournaments generate among fans.
Yadav is widely regarded as one of the most innovative T20 batters of his generation, known for his unconventional strokeplay and consistency at the crease. He has held the ICC’s number one T20 batting ranking and played a key role in India’s title win at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, followed by success in the 2025 Asia Cup. He currently serves as captain of India’s T20I side.
Commenting on his appearance in the campaign, Yadav said top-level cricket demands preparation, adaptability and performance under pressure, values he sees reflected in the Emirates brand. He noted that frequent international travel is a core part of a professional cricketer’s life and that consistency and comfort in travel experiences matter. He described the airline’s connection with cricket and its global fan base as authentic and deep-rooted.
The advertisement will be shown to audiences across multiple regions during the tournament period, aligning the airline’s branding with one of the most-watched formats of the game. Emirates said the campaign signals the start of the T20 World Cup window and is built to resonate with both stadium audiences and broadcast viewers.
Emirates and cricket
Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Executive Vice President for Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, said Yadav’s style and appeal have captured the imagination of fans around the world. He added that cricket remains one of the airline’s most enduring sporting partnerships, with continued investment planned in the sport’s future growth.
Emirates holds a long-standing partnership with the International Cricket Council covering its major global events, including the ICC Men’s and Women’s Cricket World Cups, the ICC Men’s and Women’s T20 World Cups, and the ICC World Test Championship. The airline has also been the main sponsor of the Emirates Elite and International Panels of ICC Umpires since 2002, when the panels were formed to officiate Test matches and One Day Internationals worldwide.
In addition to branding exposure, Emirates transports umpires and referees to international assignments as a global ICC partner.
During the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, passengers flying with the airline will be able to watch live match coverage onboard through the ice entertainment system via Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra.