India – New Zealand T20 World Cup match creates historic global viewership record

Ahmedabad: The T20 World Cup final between India national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad turned into a historic spectacle, not only for the emphatic victory of India but also for the unprecedented number of viewers who tuned in to watch the match across the world.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Indian team delivered a dominant performance with the bat. In the allotted 20 overs, India scored a massive 255 runs for the loss of five wickets, setting a daunting target for New Zealand in the grand finale of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Chasing the steep target, New Zealand struggled to build momentum against India’s disciplined bowling attack. The Kiwi side was eventually bowled out for 159 runs in 19 overs, handing India a convincing 96-run victory. With this triumph, India clinched its second consecutive T20 World Cup title and the third overall, further strengthening its dominance in the shortest format of the game.

Apart from the thrilling on-field action, the match also created history in terms of viewership. According to streaming platform JioHotstar, the final recorded an astonishing 82.1 crore concurrent viewers, making it the most-watched T20 World Cup match ever in terms of live digital streaming.

The viewership figures steadily rose throughout the match. At the start of the broadcast during the toss, around 2.1 to 4.2 crore viewers were watching the game. As India began its batting innings, the number climbed to 6.5 crore viewers. By the end of India’s innings, the count had surged to 43.9 crore, while it further increased to 44.3 crore during the innings break.

When New Zealand began its chase of the massive 255-run target, the concurrent viewership touched 49.9 crore, and by the end of the first over it had crossed 50.3 crore, according to platform sources.

The numbers continued to soar as the match progressed. By the time New Zealand lost its final wicket in the 19th over, the concurrent viewership had reached 74.5 crore, and during the post-match presentation ceremony it peaked at a record 82.1 crore viewers.

This record also surpassed the previous streaming milestone registered during the India–England semifinal on the same platform. Interestingly, the same stadium had earlier hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup final between India and Australia, which had recorded a then-record 5.9 crore concurrent viewers.

With the victory, India not only lifted its third T20 World Cup trophy but also became the only nation to win the title on home soil, adding another glorious chapter to its cricketing history.