Foxtel, Nine Network to telecast T20 Cup

A Twenty20 World Cup TV blackout has been averted after Fox Sports and the Nine Network nutted out a last-minute deal with the tournament's rights holders.

Nine will provide a live telecast of all of Australia's preliminary matches, as well as the finals of the T20 World Cup which is being staged in India.

Foxtel will telecast all 35 World Cup matches live, starting from Tuesday.

Australia's first Group Two match is against New Zealand on March 18.

The deal mirrors the arrangement that the networks had during the 2015 One Day International World Cup.

Nine has engaged Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Brett Lee, Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke to provide commentary and analysis throughout the competition.

The deal follows protracted negotiations with Star India which owns the telecast rights for the T20 World Cup until 2023.

Star reportedly paid $US1.98 billion ($A2.69 billion) for global rights to ICC events.