iWorld
India vs Pakistan viewership on JioHotstar surpasses T20 World Cup 2024 final
Digital reach hit 163 million, beating the 2024 final; up 56 per cent year on year
MUMBAI: The India–Pakistan group-stage clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has rewritten viewership records, becoming the most-watched ICC T20 match in digital history.
Broadcast and streamed by JioStar on JioHotstar, the match drew a digital reach of 163 million, surpassing even the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final. Digital reach rose 56 per cent compared with the previous India–Pakistan encounter at the 2024 edition.
On mobile devices, the fixture recorded the highest league-stage reach of any ICC T20 event, clocking 1.2 times the audience of the last India–Pakistan clash. Connected TV viewership surged even more sharply, delivering a reach 2.4 times higher than the same fixture in 2024.
Across platforms, the match generated more than 20 billion minutes of watch time, a 42 per cent jump over the previous edition. India’s emphatic win, which extended its head-to-head record against Pakistan at T20 World Cups to 8–1, helped sustain viewing through the contest.
Linear television also delivered. The broadcast registered a 71 per cent rise in ratings, making it the highest-rated India–Pakistan T20 match since 2021 and underlining the continued pull of appointment viewing for marquee sporting events.
With associate nations adding competitive edge, cumulative digital reach for the tournament has already overtaken that of the entire 2024 edition at the same stage. India, meanwhile, has secured qualification for the Super 8s beginning 21 February, as the defending champions push for a second consecutive T20 title.
JioStar head of sales for sports Anup Govindan, said the scale of engagement reflected the unmatched pull of the India–Pakistan rivalry across platforms. JioStar head of sports content Siddharth Sharma, added that the numbers underscored India’s deep-rooted obsession with the T20 World Cup and the appetite for immersive, multi-format coverage.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
