The India-Pakistan showdown on Feb. 15 in Colombo during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 has set new benchmarks for reach and viewership, JioStar - the tournament's official digital and broadcast partner - announced on Friday. Often dubbed the "Mother of All Rivalries", the marquee clash once again lived up to its billing with record-breaking engagement across platforms.
According to JioStar, the match registered an unprecedented digital reach of 163 million, making it the most-watched T20 match ever in any ICC event. This surpasses the viewership for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa.
India's dominant 61-run victory also drove a 56% jump in digital reach over the previous India-Pakistan matchup at the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York. On mobile alone, it delivered the highest reach for any ICC T20 league-stage game, at 1.2 times the reach of their 2024 encounter.
The rivalry drew massive traction on JioHotstar as well. The Connected TV (CTV) viewership soared, recording 2.4 times higher reach compared to the 2024 contest. Across screens, fans consumed an astonishing 20 billion minutes of watch time, reflecting deep viewer engagement.
This surge contributed to a 42% rise in overall consumption versus the previous edition's fixture, aided by India extending their dominant T20 World Cup record over Pakistan to 8-1.
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Linear television also delivered exceptional numbers. The high-voltage clash saw TVR grow 71%, becoming the highest-rated India-Pakistan T20I since 2021 - reinforcing the continued strength of traditional broadcast.
With associate nations performing strongly in this edition, the cumulative digital reach of the T20 World Cup 2026 has already surpassed the entire reach of the previous edition at the group-stage mark.
"The build-up and the match itself had all the makings of a spectacle. The record-breaking reach and consumption showcase the scale at which fans engage with this tournament," said JioStar Sports Head of Sales Anup Govindan. "The response to the India-Pakistan clash sets the tone for an exciting T20 World Cup 2026, with the best still to come."
Another possible meeting?
Both India and Pakistan have progressed to the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. They won't face eachother in the Super 8s as they are in separate groups. But there is a possibility that they will play against one another in either the semifinal or the final if both progress that far.
If either happens, the match will be held in Sri Lanka. The final of the 2026 T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held on Sunday, March 8.
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