Sports
T20 WC 2026 hits sixes on opening day viewership
14.7 bn minutes consumed as India win sparks 81 per cent digital surge.
MUMBAI: Cricket fever has hit fever pitch right from ball one, with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 delivering the most explosive opening day ever seen on JioStar’s digital and TV combo. Total viewing time across JioHotstar and the Star Sports network rocketed 59 per cent compared to the 2024 edition, clocking a staggering 14.7 billion minutes on day one, the biggest launch in T20 World Cup history.
As India launched their title defence with a solid win over the USA, JioHotstar alone pulled in a reach of 101.9 million viewers, soaring 81 per cent higher than the previous tournament’s opener.
The India-USA clash was the real crowd-puller: linear TV ratings jumped 41 per cent, while digital reach nearly doubled (up 98 per cent) against India’s first game of 2024 versus Ireland.
JioStar CEO of sports Ishan Chatterjee pointed to the multi-language coverage in nine tongues and the high-voltage matches as key hooks keeping fans glued from the first over.
ICC chief commercial officer Anurag Dahiya hailed the surge as proof of the powerhouse partnership with JioStar, delivering top-tier cricket that taps into India’s boundless passion for the game.
Pre-tournament buzz built nicely with campaigns like the “Champions Backing Champions” film featuring India’s victorious women’s team cheering on the men plus Rohit Sharma’s rallying cry to “Repeat History and Defeat History.”
On-screen, over 130 experts bring analysis in nine languages, while JioHotstar spices things up with Maxview (in English and Hindi on mobile) and Indian Sign Language for India matches and knockouts.
Sponsors ranging from Thums Up and OpenAI to Emirates, Sting, Mahindra, Apollo Tyres, Amul, Hyundai, Google Pixel and more are riding the wave of this massive, engaged audience.
With the tournament just getting started, the numbers suggest this edition could keep rewriting the script for cricket consumption in the digital age, one six at a time.
Sports
Historic T20 win brings historic payout: India’s Rs131 crore cash bonus for champions
BCCI rewards players, coaches, and support staff following India’s third T20 World Cup triumph on home soil.
MUMBAI: The Indian cricket team may have just finished sprinting between wickets, but they are now racing all the way to the bank. Following their historic triumph at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a staggering cash reward of Rs 131 crore for the victorious squad.
It appears that in India, when it rains sixes, it pours riches. Just two days after Suryakumar Yadav’s men dismantled New Zealand in a high-octane final at Ahmedabad, the BCCI decided to ensure the players’ bank balances looked as impressive as the scoreboard.
This isn’t just a “well done” handshake. The Rs 131 crore bounty marks a record-breaking payday, surpassing the Rs 125 crore handed out after their 2024 success. This latest windfall celebrates a hat-trick of sorts: India has become the first nation to win three T20 titles, the first to successfully defend the crown, and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.
The mountain of cash is set to be shared among the 15-man squad, including the final’s standout performer Sanju Samson, whose 89 runs helped set a record-breaking target. However, the generosity does not stop at the boundary rope. The coaching staff, led by Gautam Gambhir, along with the support crew and the national selectors, will all receive a slice of this very lucrative pie.
On the pitch, India’s performance was nothing short of clinical. They posted a mammoth 255 runs before Jasprit Bumrah did what he does best, leaving the New Zealand chase in tatters. Off the pitch, the rewards are equally clinical. Alongside this BCCI bonus, the team also pockets a cool $3 million in official prize money from the ICC.
While cricket is often called a gentleman’s game, it is clearly becoming a wealthy one too. For the players who spent the last month under immense pressure, the weight of the trophy is now being matched by the weight of their wallets. As the celebrations continue across the country, one thing is certain: it pays to be a world champion.
