ICC has roped in Facebook Live to bring in exclusive content for the World Test Championship final as Virat Kohli’s India and Kane Williamson’s New Zealand go head-to-head for the ultimate prize. Fans will be able to view match highlights, in-play key-moments, and other exclusive videos on Facebook Live.
Facebook will continue to cater to the Indian audience once again as it already telecasts La Liga in the country. By signing a deal with ICC for the World Test Championship final, it will be hoping to connect with millions of cricket fans in India. This deal will also help in creating more avenues for conversations and discussions to provide exclusive content and favourite moments of the match.
Facebook live was developed with a belief that watching videos can help the fans to connect better with their favourite sports. The social networking website is constantly building video experiences to connect with people. Cricket is an essential part of the social viewing experience and it also brings the whole community together.
Director and Head of Partnership of Facebook India, Manish Chopra said, “Our continuous endeavour is to bring people together on our platforms, to ignite conversations and build connections. Through our partnership with the ICC, we are focused on bringing the best-in-class and premium action to cricket fans across the Subcontinent, on Facebook Watch.”
Anurag Dahiya, Chief Commerical Officer of ICC, admitted that the growth in consumption of content has helped Cricket to connect with more diverse audiences around the world and the WTC final has deepened that engagement.
The inaugural World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand was set to begin on Friday but due to heavy rains in Southampton, the toss was delayed. It was later announced that the first session has been called off. The weather forecast for the entire match is not kind. In case the game gets washed out, both teams will be declared as joint winners.