Cricket fans in Australia face a blackout for next month's World Twenty20 because all local TV networks have passed on the opportunity to buy the broadcast rights for the tournament.

The tournament begins in India on March 16 and runs until April 6. The Australian Twenty20 squad is about to depart for South Africa for a three-match preparatory series there, before travelling to India for a tournament they have yet to win in five attempts.

Aaron Finch of Australia bats during game one of the Twenty20 International match between Australia and India at Adelaide Oval on January 26, 2016. Credit:Getty Images

The presence of the tournament on Australia's anti-siphoning list, which prioritises free-to-air coverage of major events, has been of no consequence, because those rules don't compel commercial broadcasters to buy the rights.

Rather than Australian networks not being interested in cricket, which attracted bumper ratings this summer for both international matches and the Big Bash League, it is believed the main stumbling block is the price being sought by the host broadcaster, India TV giant Star Sports.