The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has become the most-watched edition in the tournament’s history, crossing 500 million viewers in India, according to the International Cricket Council. The milestone was announced by ICC Chairman Jay Shah in a post on X, positioning the 2026 edition as the highest-rated Men’s T20 World Cup ever in the Indian market.
Shah noted that the tournament was conceptualised with the ambition of becoming the most “global and accessible” cricket event to date. In addition to cumulative reach figures, he revealed that digital engagement also scaled new highs, with concurrent viewership on Jio Hotstar peaking at 60.5 million, underscoring the continued surge in streaming consumption for marquee cricket properties.
The journey of the @ICC #T20WorldCup 2026 began with the ambition to make it the most #global & #accessible Cricket event ever. I am humbled that viewership for the event in India has crossed 500 million, the highest ever for any T20 World Cup in history. It was also heartening…
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) March 4, 2026
In his post on X, ICC Chairman Jay Shah, wrote: “The journey of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 began with the ambition to make it the most global and aaccessible Cricket event ever.
“I am humbled that viewership for the event in India has crossed 500 million, the highest ever for any T20 World Cup in history. It was also heartening to see concurrent viewers JioHotstar hit a peak of 60.5 million.
“With Knock-out matches for the tournament starting tonight, we hope that the immeasurable love our events receive from Indian fans helps break more records,” he added.
The record-setting performance comes as the tournament enters its knockout stage, traditionally the most-watched phase of ICC events. India remains the ICC’s single largest broadcast market, and the 500-million milestone highlights the sustained commercial strength of T20 cricket across linear television and digital platforms, further reinforcing the format’s central role in driving advertising, sponsorship, and media rights value.
