iWorld
Netflix emerges as largest OTT beneficiary during lockdown: report
MUMBAI: With the first phase of the lockdown coming to an end, it has become evident that the over the top (OTT) streaming industry has picked pace. It is, perhaps, one of the few industries that will emerge positively out of the economic impact of this pandemic. Streaming colossal Netflix has emerged as the largest beneficiary among OTTs.
According to a report from KalaGato, which takes into account the lockdown period of 5 February to 29 March, Netflix users have been spending an average of eighty minutes a day on the platform by the time the lockdown was in place. Recently, the streaming service, which is still considered as a premium, has churned out original episodic content as well as digital movies which have gained word of mouth like Jaamtara, Taaj Mahal 1989 and Yeh Ballet.
“Juxtapose this with Hotstar that has experienced a thirty per cent decline in total session time. This could be a result of the different content libraries of the two platforms. Netflix creates the sensation of an endless well of content while Hotstar’s library feels much more limited. Netflix is built for binge-watching while the other feels more point and shoot,” the report added.
In the same period, the open rate of Netflix and MX Player went up by 68 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. Both platforms have seen an increase in daily active users as well. Netflix’s DAU has jumped by 102 per cent whereas MX Player has experienced a 14 per cent spike. Despite a falling open rate, Amazon Prime Video which has recently pushed some of its premium content before the paywall, has gained 83 per cent more DAUs.
On the other hand, the leader in the Indian OTT space has witnessed a fall in both DAUs and open rates by 55 per cent and 43 per cent respectively. The report attributes the weaker performance of Hotstar to the absence of a sporting event, the USP of Hotstar’s popularity. However, the case may change soon with the launch of Disney+ in India as the rebranded Disney+Hotstar service already has around eight million subscribers.
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.
