Imagine that.
The T20 World Cup is held in India. The stands are full, the buzz is real and the energy is just what you’d expect from one of cricket’s biggest tournaments.
Now add this thought.
People who spend their lives watching the game are stuck with refreshing emails waiting to find out if they can even enter the stadium.
Accrediting a journalist at the World Cup on home soil has turned into its own mini-tournament.
You apply weeks in advance. Then you wait.
You might be approved. Maybe not. You may have access to the press conference, but not the match. You might not get either. And if your name isn’t on the matchday list, gate security won’t bother with your explanations.
It’s a special place.
IND vs WI, T20 World Cup Super 8 Match: Preview
Because fans are queuing for tickets outside. Inside the brand hosts guests. And somewhere in between, the people tasked with telling the story of the tournament wonder if they’ll even be able to watch from inside the stadium.
But inside the same place, a different kind of access story is playing out.
Content creators walk the field, make reels with players, sit in premium booths and soak up experiences as invited guests of global brands. They film from angles that journalists are not even allowed to stand near.
“As accredited journalists, we can’t shoot videos on match days, we can’t record PTC in the stadium, we can’t post training footage and we can’t even share clips from press conferences. Exclusive access to players? Forget it. But if you’re an influencer, it’s a different story. VIP access, branded deals, special treatment. Admins treat it like side characters day in and day out,” said one of those frustrated journalists.
Another journalist shared that the system began to seem random.
“It was difficult to deal with last-minute approval from the ICC on the day of the match. While the Delhi Cricket Board and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Board try to coordinate with journalists before the approval, match accesses to other venues are given out randomly. Rejections come just 48 hours before the match, making it almost impossible to schedule coverage. It’s frustrating when people wait for sport without any interest in people writing meaningful stories. they stay out,”
And yet, even in the VIP zones, not everyone feels comfortable with the setting.
Because sometimes even the invitees aren’t sure why they’re even there.
TREATMENT OF THE ROYAL INFLUENCER
Mumbai-based content creator Prachi Singla told India Today how she got to the India Vs. South Africa Super 8 in Ahmedabad through tag competition.
“I applied for the competition, created my look through Google Gemini, uploaded it on Instagram and after a few days I got a call from Google India that I was selected for the match,” and just like that, much to her surprise, Prachi was at the stadium watching one of India’s most important matches of this T20 World Cup.
“At first I was confused and thought, ‘Is this a scam?’ because no one ever calls to say, ‘You’re chosen and we’ll take care of everything.’ But then they sent me all the details – a flight, a 4- to 5-star hotel and even a taxi driver for me for the day,” she added.
Yes. Flights, hotel, taxis, everything was taken care of.
The whole experience felt surreal.
As Prachi soaked it all in, she also found herself silently questioning the bigger picture.
“When I arrived at the president’s booth, I realized that there were also many other creators, invited by brands like Budweiser and Pepsi. They were all there to enhance the event. Some were creating content about the match, while others were just documenting their presence.”
And then an honest thought came.
“I really don’t understand why content creators are needed to promote something like the FIFA World Cup. The excitement in India is already huge and it doesn’t really need any more push,” Prachi said.
Outside of these premium enclosures, however, the atmosphere was very different. Several fans, including those who had traveled all the way to Chennai, struggled to get tickets despite the matches being sold out. Many ended up turning to the black market and paying far more than the actual price, which naturally begs the question of who the real access was intended for in the first place.
It wasn’t just Prachi’s experience.
The debate erupted when RJ and the influencer Prince Parikh posted a reel after India’s loss to South Africa. The video showed her clapping next to David Miller on the field and was set to a viral voiceover of “Wah Shampy Wah”.
A SHAMEFUL ACT
Prince Parekh, a Gujarati content creator known for funny reels and vlogs, recently shot a reel with David Miller.
After that, she received r@pe threats and abuse.
Indian youth is going in wrong direction. Sad! pic.twitter.com/FBoNTJBemq— Jeet (@JeetN25) February 24, 2026
The fans did not take kindly to this.
How could they? Most of them were still coming to terms with India’s unbeaten run that ended with a heavy 71-run defeat by South Africa.
The winch was quickly labeled a “crouch”.
Many felt the moment called for sensitivity rather than “fun content”.
Others questioned whether influencers should be so close to players in emotionally charged situations.
And that’s when the conversation started to shift.
It’s no longer about blaming the creators.
It became a question of why they were put in this position.
ARE THEY ALL REALLY NECESSARY?
Content creators have undoubtedly added to the noise. But they weren’t the only ones.
Following on from India vs South Africa, the cafe-style pre-match promo leaned into classic rivalry banter. One Indian fan joked about “history repeating itself” from the 2024 final as he took a dig at a South African supporter, harking back to the Proteas’ old tag of “chokers”, something that now seems older than history after their triumph at the WTC. A cupcake ad hasn’t aged too well for Indian broadcasters. (Photo: Star Sports)
Then South Africa went out and flipped the script.
And the internet was doing what it does best. He turned it back.
In a tournament already full of creators chasing clicks through rivalry-based content, the promo became another voice in the chaos. Instead of rising above it, the broadcast joined in the banter and gave social media the easiest comeback of the week.
Which raises a simple question.
Do we really need this extra spice?
Is tempting fate against a team in top form the smartest way to build hype?
Because when the drama starts to get louder than the cricket, it stops being fun and starts looking like self-sabotage.
IF THE GOAL IS GEN Z, WHY NOT DO IT RIGHT?
You’ve probably seen Jake Jeakings floating around at IPL or World Cup games.
He’s the one people poke their friend about because he looks like Sam Curran. But once you get past that, you’ll realize it’s not there for the brand’s vibes or selfies.
He is there because he actually loves cricket.
In an interview with India Today, Jake explained that most of what he does is not sponsored luxury but self-funded madness.
“I wouldn’t even call myself a content creator, honestly. I just enjoy making videos. I’ve been working two jobs for the past year and a half just to afford these trips. I’d finish one shift and go straight to the next because it’s something I really care about.”
And that brings up a clear thought.
If the ICC or the broadcasters really want to reach younger or Gen Z fans through these creators, why not do it with people who are already living the game?
“I think it’s about getting the right creators involved. People who really love cricket and want to see it grow. Not people who just get lured in because they have a lot of followers but don’t know a word about cricket,” he said.
Jake isn’t asking for special treatment.
Just a fair shot.
“I think the ICC has its priorities wrong. They need to understand that there is no harm in bringing in real cricket-focused creators.”
Meanwhile, back in the real world, journalists are still refreshing their inboxes, hoping to get their names on the match list.
Apply weeks in advance, wait for approval, plan to cover uncertainty and still risk being turned away at the gate.
Inside the same place, someone is filming a reel with the player.
And this is where the whole thing starts to seem less like progress and more like a mismatch.
Because this debate isn’t really about influencers vs journalists.
It’s about what access is rewarded for.
Is it about how well you understand the game, tell its stories, and contribute to its growth? Or is it just about how many followers you have on Instagram?
It’s not that creators are invited.
Doors seem to open based on reach rather than relevance.
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– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
01 March 2026 11:43 IST
