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India-Sri Lanka T20 game on Star Sports sets 5-year viewership benchmark
MUMBAI: The second game of the PayTM T20 India vs. Sri Lanka series, broadcast on the Star Sports network, has become the highest-rated T20 international in the past five years. The match, won comprehensively by India, rated 256 TVM, according to BARC Panel CS4+ Urban calculations, surpassing the 112 TVM mark set by the India vs. Pakistan first T20 game in 2012.
Anticipation was high heading into the game as Sri Lanka had dealt India a crushing defeat in the opening tie. A close game appeared to be on the cards but India’s batting order, led by a charge from southpaw Shikhar Dhawan, systematically picked apart Sri Lanka’s fearsome bowling attack on a dusty Ranchi pitch. The hosts scored 196, a total that proved insurmountable for Sri Lanka, with the visitors falling 69 runs short of the target.
Despite the promise of a hard-fought game going unfulfilled, India’s dominant performance kept fans entertained. The ratings the match garnered, which followed the crushing defeat India dealt Australia last month on their home turf, sets the stage for the next few months of explosive T20 action still to come with the Asia Cup, ICC World T20 and the IPL all set to further whet viewer appetite for the shorter version of the game.
Star India COO Sanjay Gupta said, “This is a fantastic start to the T20 season of cricketainement that will be available on Star Sports up ahead. We have got the Asia Cup being played in the T20 format for the very first time, followed by India playing host to the ICC World T20, with the Vivo IPL closing the exciting T20 season. All the action from these tournaments will be broadcast live on Star Sports with the IPL available on hotstar. India fans can expect a thoroughly enriched and immersive viewing experience this T20 season with innovations that will light up screens across platforms.”
Viewership garnered by the India-Sri Lanka match is reflective of a surge in interest in the shorter version of the game. T20 is fast becoming India’s most-loved format of play and data shows fans have been enthusiastically lapping up the action from recent T20 series including the India-South Africa and India-Australia contests. This trend is also evident on digital channels with Hotstar, recording a 1.5 times higher watch time per viewer on all the recent T20 series than last year’s edition of the IPL 2015.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
