The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy turned out to be a record-breaking spectacle, drawing an unprecedented 60.2 crore viewers on JioHotstar. The match, played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, witnessed a surge in digital viewership, setting a new benchmark for live-streamed sporting events.
The high-stakes encounter saw India chase down a target of 241 runs, with Virat Kohli sealing the victory in style. His match-winning stroke, which also brought up his 51st ODI century, sent digital viewership soaring to its peak.
The match began with India opting to bowl first, and the excitement was evident from the start. When Mohammed Shami delivered the first over, the live stream had already attracted 6.8 crore viewers. As Pakistan built their innings, viewership steadily climbed, peaking at 32.1 crore during the final over and marginally increasing to 32.2 crore during the innings break.
India’s chase further fueled audience engagement, with the numbers rising to 33.8 crore at the start of the innings and stabilising around 36.2 crore for a major part of the match. However, as India edged closer to victory, the numbers surged, culminating in the record-breaking 60.2 crore peak concurrency.
This viewership milestone surpasses the previous record of 3.5 crore, which was set during the India-Pakistan clash in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Similarly, the 2023 Asia Cup match between the two teams had seen a peak concurrency of 2.8 crore viewers.
The India-Pakistan showdown was also broadcast on television via JioStar, the newly formed joint venture following the merger of Viacom18 and Star India. Television ratings for the game will be released later by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has already witnessed a strong start, with intense competition among the participating teams. However, as history has shown, few rivalries in cricket generate as much excitement and global attention as an India-Pakistan match.