The Men’s T20 World Cup final, which ended India’s 13-year wait to lift an ICC trophy, recorded a peak concurrent viewership of 5.3 crore (53 million), streaming rights holder Disney+Hotstar declared.
India beat South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
South Africa were left heartbroken after coming close to winning their maiden world title but were eventually unable to get over the line against a strong Indian bowling lineup in a match that swayed from end to end on Saturday.
Sajith Sivanandan, head, Disney+ Hotstar India, said: “Team India has brought joy and pride to millions, with their incredible skill and dedication. With a staggering 5.3 crore concurrent viewers tuning in on Disney+ Hotstar for the finals, the highest peak concurrency recorded for this tournament, the support of Indian cricket fans has lifted us to new heights in live sports streaming.”
The numbers fell short of the record audience posted in the last year’s World Cup ODI final match in November though. The peak concurrent viewership in the final match between India and Australia in the 50-overs format on November 20, 2023, was 5.9 crore, despite the host nation ending on the losing side.
Karan Taurani SVP of Elara Capital told PTI that while the final match played on Saturday may not have achieved the numbers registered in the ODI World Cup final, the interesting fact was that 4 to 4.5 crore viewers were watching the match constantly because of the nail-biting finish.
“There was a longer time frame, of having 4 to 4.5 crore viewers, which was not there in the India-Australia final match” played last year, he added.
Moreover, even in the post-match ceremony, the viewership number sustained between a range of 2.5 to 3 crore viewers, which was interesting.
Rs125cr reward
A day after India’s historic win in ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a reward of Rs 125 crore ($15 million) for Team India for winning the tournament.
“I am pleased to announce prize money of INR 125 Crores for Team India for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement!” BCCI secretary Jay Shah posted on microblogging site X.
Team India fan jersey demand surge
Meanwhile, Hindu BusinessLine reports that Team India fan jerseys witnessed a surge in demand, ahead of the finals. “We had hit highest sales for the official Team India fan jersey on Blinkit on 9th June (Ind vs Pak). Looks like we’ll be crossing that very soon today,” the business daily quotes founder and CEO Albinder Dhindsa as having tweeted on Saturday evening.
