India-Pak ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 draws 20 mn minutes viewership, up 42%

The India-Pakistan match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 recorded a digital reach of 163 million on JioHotstar, according to broadcaster JioStar.

JioStar, the official digital and broadcast partner of the tournament, noted the figure marked the highest match reach for any ICC event in the T20 format and surpassed the viewership of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa. The match registered a 56% growth in digital reach over the India-Pakistan fixture in the 2024 edition.

On mobile devices, the match recorded the highest reach in the league stage of any ICC T20 event and 1.2x more than the previous India-Pakistan clash in 2024. On connected TV (CTV), match reach was 2.4x higher than the corresponding fixture in the last edition.

Across all screens, the match generated 20 billion minutes of total watch time, reflecting a 42% increase in consumption compared to the previous edition’s contest, according to JioStar. India extended its head-to-head record over Pakistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to 8-1 with the win.

On linear television, the match recorded a 71% growth in TVR, making it the highest-rated India-Pakistan T20 contest since 2021, the company said.

The cumulative digital reach of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the end of the group stage is set to exceed that of the entire previous edition.

Commenting on the data, Anup Govindan, Head - Sales, Sports, JioStar, said, “The build-up to the India vs Pakistan game at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the match itself had all the ingredients of a spectacle. The record-breaking reach and consumption reflect the scale at which fans all over engage with this tournament across platforms. This tournament has already delivered thrilling moments for fans worldwide, and the response to the India-Pakistan clash sets the tone for an exciting ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with the best yet to come.”

Siddharth Sharma, Head of Content, Sports, JioStar, added, “The unprecedented viewership and engagement numbers for India vs Pakistan is further proof of the nation’s obsession with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Complementing the Indian Cricket Team’s stellar exploits on the field with unmatched scale and choice of unique content offerings, JioStar is giving viewers more than one reason to stay locked in as India attempts to defeat history and become the first ever back-to-back T20 World Champions.”

India has qualified for the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which begins February 21.