Every ardent cricket lover in India who might have access to a smartphone most likely did not miss any game of the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
Indians have a profound affection for cricket, and when it comes to the World Cup, their energy levels reach dizzying heights. The record-breaking viewing figures that Disney+ Hotstar registered for the T20 World Cup this year demonstrated a cricket enthusiast’s love for the spot.
Mostly with the growing usage of OTT platforms for sports watching, particularly cricket, users no longer need to depart early from work or postpone plans with friends to witness a game at home. Cricket fans can now watch games while on the go. India’s OTT user base is growing, which is boosting the mobile-first strategy and transforming the way sports are devoured in the country.
When particularly in comparison to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, this year’s WC broke all prior viewership records on Disney+ Hotstar. The same event has established a new standard with 1.13X higher distinctive reach than last year and the highest-ever simultaneous viewership of 19 million for an India match (India-Pakistan, India-SA) and 12 million for a non-India match (England-Pakistan final).
The streaming era has introduced the privilege of viewing on demand, which enables users to watch a game at their leisure and fully relive the enthusiasm of a match. This function has resulted in 1.7 times more viewer numbers for shoulder content such as highlights, and match replays this year compared to 2021. The maximum engagement was seen during full replays of important matches such as India-Pakistan or India-South Africa.