Our Bureau
Mumbai
India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup clash shatters viewership records with 163 million digital viewers on JioHotstar, becoming the most-watched ICC T20 match ever. The blockbuster encounter at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 eclipsed the 2024 final between India and South Africa, fueled by India’s dominant performance that boosted digital reach by 56% over the previous India-Pakistan showdown.
JioStar, the official digital and broadcasting partner, revealed the staggering figures on Friday, highlighting the group stage’s unprecedented digital traction already surpassing the entire 2024 edition, thanks to fierce competition from associate nations. The match set new benchmarks across platforms: mobile viewership soared 1.2 times higher than the 2024 clash, while connected TV (CTV) numbers jumped 2.4 times. Fans logged a jaw-dropping 20 billion minutes of watch time, a 42% increase in consumption, underscoring the rivalry’s magnetic pull.
India extended their head-to-head supremacy over Pakistan to 8-1 in ICC T20 World Cups, amplifying the excitement that drove these metrics. Linear TV also thrived, with a 71% TVR growth, marking the highest-rated India-Pakistan T20 since 2021 and affirming broadcast TV’s broad appeal.
Anup Govindan, JioStar’s Head of Sales, Sports, hailed the “grand spectacle,” noting the anticipation and multi-platform engagement set the stage for more thrills as India chases back-to-back titles. Siddharth Sharma, Head of Content, Sports, emphasized the nation’s passion and JioStar’s content strategy pairing on-field heroics with diverse offerings.
