Published: Feb 20, 2026, 06:20 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 20, 2026, 06:21 PM (IST)
India kept their dominance over Pakistan alive in the T20 World Cup with a strong 61-run win in their highly anticipated match on Sunday, February 15, 2026. The game not only delivered a thrilling performance on the field but also broke every possible viewership record, becoming the most-watched T20 match in any ICC event history.
JioHotstar, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026’s official digital and broadcast partner, said on Friday that a huge 163 million people watched India vs. Pakistan on all platforms. This figure makes it the single most-watched T20 match ever in ICC history, easily surpassing the previous high of 53 million viewers for the India vs South Africa final at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The India-Pakistan contest on February 15 achieved the highest match reach ever recorded for a league-stage game in any ICC T20 event. It attracted 1.2 times more viewers than the India-Pakistan match from the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Across all screens, the match had a mind-boggling 20 billion minutes of total watch time. The long-awaited clash on linear television did very well, with a 71% increase in TVR (Television Rating Points), making it the highest-rated India-Pakistan T20 match since 2021.
Anoop Govindan, Head – Sales, Sports at JioHotstar, said the India vs Pakistan game had every element of a blockbuster – build-up, excitement, and on-field drama.
“The India vs Pakistan game in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 had all the elements of a spectacular viewership event right from the build-up to the match itself. The record-breaking reach and consumption reflect how fans across the world are connecting with the tournament on various platforms,” he said.
“The tournament has already delivered thrilling moments for fans worldwide, and the response to the India-Pakistan match sets the stage for an exciting ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the best still to come,” he added.
Siddharth Sharma, Head of Sports Content at JioHotstar, highlighted the passion behind the numbers.
“The phenomenal viewership and engagement numbers for India vs Pakistan are yet another proof of the country’s obsession with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” he said.
This massive viewership milestone underlines the global appeal of the India-Pakistan rivalry and shows how the 2026 T20 World Cup is capturing attention like never before.
For all latest updates of T20 World Cup 2026 you can visit: https://www.cricketcountry.com/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026/
