The high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has once again rewritten viewership records, underlining the unmatched global appeal of cricket’s greatest rivalry.
JioStar, the official digital and broadcast partner of the tournament, announced on Friday that the marquee contest recorded a staggering digital reach of 163 million, making it the most-watched match of any ICC T20 event on digital platforms. The figure also surpassed the reach of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa, according to an official release.
The match delivered a 56% growth in digital reach compared to the India-Pakistan encounter at the 2024 T20 World Cup, driven by India’s dominant performance after being put in to bat. On mobile, the fixture recorded the highest reach for a league-stage match in ICC T20 history, with 1.2 times more reach than the previous India-Pakistan clash in 2024.
Connected TV (CTV) audiences also surged, with the match recording 2.4 times higher reach than the 2024 edition’s India-Pakistan fixture, highlighting the growing multi-screen consumption of marquee sporting events. Fans converged in record numbers on JioHotstar, reaffirming the enduring magnetism of the India-Pakistan rivalry.
“The build-up to the India vs Pakistan game 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,” said Anup Govindan, Head – Sales, Sports, JioStar.
He added that the tournament has already delivered thrilling moments, with the India-Pakistan clash setting the tone for an exciting World Cup ahead.
Siddharth Sharma, Head of Content, Sports at JioStar, echoed the sentiment, saying the unprecedented engagement highlighted the nation’s obsession with the tournament.
“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 become the first-ever back-to-back T20 World Champions,” he said.
The match generated over 20 billion minutes of total watch time across screens, reflecting extraordinary depth of fan engagement. This marked a 42% increase in consumption compared to the previous edition, fuelled by India extending their head-to-head record over Pakistan at the Men’s T20 World Cup to 8-1.
On linear television, the contest also delivered record numbers, with a 71% rise in TV ratings, making it the highest-rated India-Pakistan T20 match since 2021. The figures underlined the continued power of traditional broadcast in delivering mass, communal viewing experiences.
With associate nations also delivering competitive performances, JioStar stated that the cumulative digital reach of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 by the end of the group stage is already set to surpass the total reach of the previous edition.
With India securing a Super 8 berth from February 21, the tournament now moves into its decisive phase, as the defending champions push to “repeat and defeat history” with a potential back-to-back title run.