T20 World Cup semi-final breaks global viewership records on JioHotstar

The India vs England T20 World Cup semi-final shattered global records, hitting 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers on JioHotstar. The match also became the most-streamed T20I in history with 619 million views on the platform.

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 continues to set global benchmarks in the world of sports, media and streaming, with the India vs England semi-final on March 5 hitting a historic global landmark in digital viewership. JioHotstar recorded an unprecedented 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers during the high-stakes encounter, setting a new world record for the highest concurrency ever achieved for a live event across any digital platform in the world.

The match also generated 619 million views on JioHotstar, making it the most-streamed T20 International match in history, as per a press release from ICC. The thrilling contest, which produced a remarkable 499 runs across both innings, captured the imagination of fans across India and beyond.

Record-Breaking Viewership in a Single Market

The peak concurrency surpassed the previous global record of 65 million set by an international streaming platform in November 2024, a figure achieved through aggregated viewership across multiple markets. JioHotstar's record, however, was driven entirely by audiences within a single market, underlining its position as a global leader in live streaming and its ability to handle peak demand while delivering a seamless viewing experience.

Unprecedented Reach and Watch-Time

This record also reiterates the aggregate capacity that a marquee ICC event delivers, buoyed by the combination of the Indian team's popularity, the context of a "must-win" semi-final and scaled fan engagement initiatives. Across linear television and digital platforms, the semi-final delivered a combined reach exceeding 320 million viewers, while watch-time across screens crossed an extraordinary 23 billion minutes, making it the most-watched T20 International match ever.

ICC and JioStar on the Historic Achievement

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."

New Benchmarks Set for Cricket Streaming

At the back of scintillating exhibition from both sides, the 619 million views registered during the game eclipsed the 533 million views record set during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 final. With the final still to be played, the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 has already set multiple benchmarks for reach and engagement across digital and broadcast platforms.

India will face New Zealand in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (ANI)

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