File image of India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2021
The official broadcaster of the event claimed that the much-awaited India-Pakistan match in the ongoing T20 World Cup saw a record reach of 167 million viewers, making it the most-watched T20 International ever.
Star India said in a release that the T20 World Cup till last week registered a cumulative reach of 238 million which included the first 12 matches of the qualifiers and the Super 12 stage.
The 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final between India and West Indies was the most-watched T20I match with a viewership of 136 million.
“With a reach of 167 million, the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash on October 24, an event that saw arch-rivals face off in an ICC tournament two years later, is now the most-watched T20I match, exceeding the previous high- India-West Indies 2016 ICC World T20 Semi-Final,” the release said.
India and Pakistan began their campaigns against each other on 24 October, with the Men in Green registering a 10-wicket win over their arch-rivals.
“The India-Pakistan match has created history with a record reach of 167 million viewers, making it the most-watched T20I match ever,” a Star India spokesperson was quoted as saying.
“We have continually strived to grow the audience base for Marquee Cricket and this record is a testament to our efforts in high-decibel campaigns, advanced storytelling, dedicated regional programming and consumer innovations.”
While Pakistan has reached the semi-finals, India crashed out of the tournament on Monday.
“There is no doubt that the outcome of the match and India’s exit from the tournament left fans disappointed, but the record viewership shows the unique power of cricket to engage viewers on an unprecedented scale,” the spokesperson said.
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