Pat Cummins becomes a comedian in Prime Video's ICC T20 World Cup ad

Prime Video Australia has rolled out a trio of playful films ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, placing Pat Cummins at the centre of a campaign that leans heavily on implication rather than instruction. The ads do not spell out what the Australian skipper is doing or why. Instead, they trust viewers to connect the dots, and the dots are very much shaped like cricket.

The first film opens with Cummins attempting stand-up comedy. It does not go well. His jokes are met with a wall of silence, the kind that can unnerve even the most confident performer. Punchlines fall flat, the room stays still, and Cummins eventually walks off stage, visibly deflated.

On the surface, it is a self-deprecating gag about a sports star straying into unfamiliar territory. Look a little closer, and it starts to resemble a metaphor for what bowlers dream of doing to opposition crowds during a big tournament.

The second ad shifts settings and sporting codes. Cummins is now on a golf course, gripping a bat-shaped golf club and lining up his shots with earnest concentration. Before retreating back to his golf cart to watch some cricket.

The third film perhaps lands its idea most cleanly. Cummins steps into a chef’s role, thumbing through a cookbook where every recipe bears the name of a rival cricketer. Rabada, Rishabh Pant, Ben Stokes, all reduced to dishes waiting to be prepared. Cummins gets cooking.

There is no overt trash talk. Just a knowing wink that suggests he is ready to turn up the heat.

Across all three films, Prime Video keeps its messaging deliberately light. The ads are vague about Cummins’ purpose, but they are clear about the platform’s own.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is coming, and Prime Video is where audiences in Australia and New Zealand will find it. With broadcast rights for ICC events secured through to 2027, the streamer is playing a long game, using humour and familiarity rather than hard selling.

The timing is also hard to miss. With the IPL around the corner, Cummins is likely to be back in Indian advertising conversations soon. His brief stint as a deadpan comedian, golfer and chef may not be the last time audiences see him flex his acting muscles this year.