Sports
Cricket eyes global takeover as ICC’s Sanjog Gupta maps next growth frontier
Record-breaking viewership, new markets and women’s surge power the sport’s global push
DUBAI: Cricket is no longer just a subcontinental obsession; it is pitching for global dominance. And the numbers are doing the talking.
As the clock struck 9 PM on March 8, 2026, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final triggered a historic surge, clocking 72.5 million concurrent digital viewers on JioHotstar in India—a new world record. The figure eclipsed the previous global benchmark set just days earlier during the second semi-final. Three of the four most-watched streaming events globally now belong to ICC tournaments, underlining the sport’s swelling digital muscle.
Sanjog Gupta, chief executive at the International Cricket Council, calls it unmatched scale and engagement. “No other experience, whether individual or collective, user-generated or curated, real or virtual, comes close to delivering this breadth of consumer attention and depth of fan affiliation,” Gupta writes in WPP Media’s Sporting Nation report.
The digital boom is matched by physical turnout. Nearly 1.3 million fans filled stadiums across India and Sri Lanka during the tournament, with strong attendance even for matches not involving host nations. Emerging teams such as Nepal, Italy and Scotland drew record crowds, signalling both deep-rooted passion and untapped headroom.
The global footprint is widening fast. The tournament delivered over 100 per cent viewership growth in markets such as Nepal, Germany and Japan on ICC.tv, while tailored content strategies drove engagement in Italy, Brazil, Indonesia and China. On social media, the ICC generated more than 15 billion views, amplified by over 300 content creators who collectively added another three billion views, offering fans a decentralised, creator-led lens into the game.
At the heart of this push lies a clear ambition: make cricket the world’s sport of choice. That requires more than marquee events. It demands grassroots participation, digital-first fan engagement and robust commercial scaffolding.
Traditional powerhouses such as India, Australia, England and South Africa continue to anchor the sport. But Gupta is clear that the future lies beyond them. The ICC is targeting expansion across the United States, Europe and emerging Asian markets, backed by development programmes and direct-to-fan digital ecosystems.
“The globalisation of the game is not simply about geography,” Gupta notes. “It is about ensuring that wherever the game travels, it retains its spirit while adapting to social contexts and localising when it enters new markets.”
The shift is already visible on the pitch. Associate nations are no longer fringe players. Nepal, Italy and the USA have begun to command global attention, while sides such as Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have reasserted their pedigree. These performances, Gupta argues, are not anomalies but evidence of a broadening competitive base.
Parallelly, women’s cricket is emerging as a central growth engine. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales is expected to accelerate momentum built over the past decade. India’s triumph in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 has further amplified interest, with ripple effects across markets. The ICC’s strategy is unequivocal: scale investment, expand visibility and create a pipeline of new stars.
Even as formats evolve, tradition holds firm. Test cricket, buoyed by the ICC World Test Championship, continues to anchor the sport’s legacy, while ODIs and T20Is drive accessibility and market expansion. The coexistence of formats, Gupta argues, is cricket’s unique strength, offering everything from endurance to instant spectacle.
None of this growth comes cheap. Global brands including DP World, Emirates, Aramco, Hyundai, Coca-Cola and Google are underwriting cricket’s expansion, turning sponsorship into a symbiotic engine of scale, visibility and development.
For Gupta, the direction is clear. Cricket’s future will not be defined by a handful of dominant markets but by a widening global community of players, fans and partners.
From packed stadiums in India to new builds in the United States and emerging hubs across Europe and Asia, the game is stretching its boundaries.
And if recent records are any indication, cricket is not just growing. It is accelerating towards a future where its reach is broader, its engagement deeper and its ambition unmistakably global.
Sports
Gujarat Titans unveil vision for IPL 2026 season
Franchise leaders emphasise culture, fan connection and never-give-up spirit.
MUMBAI: Gujarat Titans just raised the bar for IPL 2026 because when a young franchise already has two finals and one trophy in four seasons, the only way left is to aim even higher. At the grand Season Launch event ‘Shubharambh 2026’ in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Titans outlined their ambitions for the upcoming Tata IPL 2026 season, with a strong focus on deepening their identity, strengthening team culture and putting fans at the heart of everything they do.
Gujarat Titans managing director and director Torrent Group Jinal Mehta reflected on the franchise’s rapid rise, “We are a young franchise, but over the last four years, we’ve built a strong legacy. We’ve reached the finals twice and won the IPL in our inaugural season. We see ourselves as a franchise that believes there is much more beyond the game itself. Fans are at the centre of everything we do.”
Gujarat Titans director, and Torrent Group director Shaan Mehta highlighted the importance of culture: “Culture is at the centre of everything we do, regardless of on-field results. If you don’t function as a unit, you cannot be part of a strong team. It has always been about working towards the team’s betterment and not getting carried away by past results.”
On the responsibility of representing an entire state, Jinal Mehta added, “It’s a significant responsibility, and we see ourselves as custodians of it on behalf of our fans. Sport, especially cricket, is like a religion in our country. While winning matters, how we conduct ourselves as a franchise matters just as much.”
Shaan Mehta reinforced the emotional bond with supporters, “GT is an emotion, and the fans are at the centre of that. Without them, success would not hold the same meaning. That’s something we want to keep strengthening as we continue this journey.”
Looking ahead to the new season, Shaan Mehta promised fans, “At the very least, fans can expect a never-give-up attitude, and they will certainly be entertained throughout the season. The team will play with intensity, and there will be plenty to look forward to as the season unfolds.”
In just four seasons, Gujarat Titans have moved from new entrant to one of the IPL’s most compelling stories. With a clear focus on culture, fan connection and consistent performance, the franchise is ready to write the next chapter of its rapidly growing legacy.
When a team already plays with the heart of a champion and the discipline of a contender, adding “never-give-up” as the official season vibe is less a promise and more a warning to the rest of the league, Gujarat Titans are coming, and they’re bringing their fans with them.
