The T20 World Cup 2026 has already witnessed some sensational matches since the tournament kicked off on February 7. The ICC showpiece event is being jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka this time around. The tournament has enjoyed a stellar start on JioStar, delivering the biggest ever opening day across JioHotstar and the Star Sports network for any ICC event.
Total viewing across JioStar’s digital and linear platforms surged by 59% in comparison with the 2024 edition, amassing 14.7 billion minutes on the opening day and thus marking the biggest opening day in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history. As India began their title defence with a victory over the USA, JioHotstar achieved a reach of 101.9 million, an impressive 81% jump from last year’s opening day.
India’s opening game against the USA drove strong viewership momentum across platforms as linear TV ratings went up 41% and digital reach went up 98% compared to India’s first match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland.
JioStar’s build-up to the tournament has generated strong momentum, led by the widely appreciated “Champions Backing Champions” film featuring India’s World Cup-winning women’s team supporting the Men in Blue, followed by Rohit Sharma’s call to Team India to “Repeat History and Defeat History.”
The official broadcasters have also enhanced the experience by introducing MaxView in English and Hindi on mobile. The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan tie is expected to ramp up viewership more when these two teams clash on February 15 in Colombo.
Pakistan have backtracked from their earlier stance and have confirmed they will take part in the exciting IND vs PAK clash.
