As the Men’s T20 World Cup kicks off across India and Sri Lanka, Skyscanner reports a significant rise in flight searches to host cities. Indian fans are planning their travels around key fixtures, highlighting cricket's influence on travel behaviour. With India defending their title under captain Suryakumar Yadav, fans are eager to experience the live atmosphere, leading to increased searches, particularly in January.
Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian Men’s T20 captain and Skyscanner Brand Ambassador, expressed his excitement: “I still go back to that catch from the 2024 final—not just for the moment, but for the roar. In India, cricket isn’t just a game, it’s how we live.”
The tournament's fixture announcement on 25 November 2025 sparked immediate travel planning. Skyscanner tracked searches for travel dates between 7 February and 8 March, covering the tournament period. Searches peaked in January, with a 63% increase during the week of 19 January compared to the previous week. The week of 26 January saw a further 35% rise.
Interest in international host cities Colombo and Pallekele began earlier, peaking in December and January. This suggests fans are booking cross-border travel in advance, considering visa and flight availability. The India versus Pakistan match on 15 February in Colombo has notably driven travel interest, with a 9% increase in searches during the week of 8 December.
Neel Ghose, Skyscanner India's Destination and Travel Trends Expert, noted, “We’re seeing cricket play a growing role in travel planning. The World Cup highlights how large-scale sporting events influence travel timing and purpose among Indian travellers.”
Skyscanner anticipates continued strong search interest throughout the tournament, especially around knockout-stage matches, underscoring cricket's impact on travel behaviour in India
This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.
