THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

DUBAI/MUMBAI, MARCH 7, 2026

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 continues to set new global benchmarks in sports broadcasting and digital engagement, with the India–England semi-final on March 5 creating history in the world of live streaming.

India’s leading streaming platform JioHotstar recorded an unprecedented 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers during the high-stakes clash, establishing a new world record for the highest concurrency ever achieved for a live event on any digital platform globally. The match also generated 619 million views on JioHotstar, making it the most-streamed T20 International match in history.

The thrilling contest, which witnessed a remarkable 499 runs scored across both innings, captivated cricket fans across India and around the world. The peak concurrency surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million viewers, set by an international streaming platform in November 2024 through aggregated viewership across multiple markets. In contrast, JioHotstar’s record was driven entirely by audiences within a single market, underlining its position as a global leader in live streaming and its ability to handle massive peak demand while delivering a seamless viewing experience.

The record also reflects the extraordinary pull of marquee ICC events, amplified by the popularity of the Indian team, the high-stakes context of a must-win semi-final, and extensive fan engagement initiatives.

Across linear television and digital platforms, the semi-final delivered a combined reach of over 320 million viewers, while cumulative watch-time across screens crossed an extraordinary 23 billion minutes, making it the most-watched T20 International match ever.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah said: “It is incredibly heartening to see the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup bringing together hundreds of millions of cricket fans in India. The remarkable numbers recorded during the India vs England semi-final demonstrate not only the passion of cricket fans but also the tremendous progress being made in making the game more accessible and engaging for audiences everywhere. This World Cup will be remembered as much for its on-field play as it will be for the way millions of fans came together to celebrate the sport.”

JioStar Vice-Chairman Uday Shankar said: “This is testimony to JioStar's technological and creative excellence and ICC’s commitment to making the game of cricket even bigger. One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final game on Thursday, and when hundreds of millions of people tune in to watch the game, it takes the best of technology to deliver. This is what the future of entertainment is going to look like.”

Fuelled by a scintillating display from both teams, the 619 million views recorded during the semi-final eclipsed the previous record of 533 million views set during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Final.

With the final yet to be played, the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 has already established multiple milestones in terms of reach and audience engagement across both digital and broadcast platforms.

India will now face New Zealand in the tournament final on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, with fans able to catch all the action live on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.