iWorld
Internet users in China 94 million: Survey
MUMBAI: The number of internet users in China surpassed 94 million by the end of 2004, recording a year-on-year growth of 18.2 per cent. According to a survey conducted by China Internet Network Information Center in July 2004, China has 39.4 per cent female netizens and for the male segment the figure stands at 60.6 per cent.
But that is not the case with Hong Kong and Macao. The number of internet users in these two regions stood at 51 per cent and 46 per cent respectively at the end of 2004.
Age-wise, more than 50 per cent of internet users in China are below 25 on the mainland, in Hong Kong it is 39 per cent and in Macao it stands at 51 per cent. In China, 32 per cent of the internet users are students.
According to the survey, approximately 67.9 per cent of netizens surf from home. About 40 per cent surf in offices, internet cafes and schools. In China people surf the web mainly to check e-mails, read news and gather information. About 6.3 per cent say they use the internet for educational purposes.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
