iWorld
IPL brings growth in traffic and advertisers for ESPNcricinfo
Mumbai: The second phase of IPL 14 is witnessing a strong surge in consumption on the ESPNcricinfo app with a 30 per cent jump in time spent and 25 per cent growth in unique users on the back of the India-England test series. With over 95 per cent active users, the platform has cricket fans checking out new features like pinning and sharing of live scores, dark mode, and runs forecaster.
To further engage the audience the platform had launched its latest product ‘Askcricinfo’ – an AI-powered tool for all cricket stats.
“ESPNcricinfo has once again proven its dominance as a leader in well-rounded cricket coverage and in nurturing a strong community for cricket fandom and multiple opportunities for advertising and content partnerships,” said ESPN head of sales for South Asia Akshaya Kolhe. “We have an excellent line-up of traditional and new age brands onboard such as Maruti Suzuki, Intel, HDFC Ergo General Insurance, TVS Tyres, ITC Bingo, Coinswitch Kuber, HDFC Life, ForexTime, GoMechanic, Swiggy, Playerzpot, Upstox, and FreshToHome. We are thankful to our partners for their continued trust in the platform which is a testimony to the strength of our multiple brand partnership opportunities.”
A mix of live shows, chat rooms, stats-based daily coverage and insights, fun and comedy, and off-field stories in English and Hindi serves fans with the unique perspectives of the game from experts in an interactive format. Most popular among them is the pre, mid, and post-match show “ESPNcricinfo T20 Time:Out,” which has experts such as Carlos Brathwaite, Daniel Vettori, Gautam Gambhir, Dale Steyn, Ian Bishop, Aakash Chopra, and Deep Dasgupta providing a holistic analysis of every match.
The daily live is being simulcast on the ESPNcricinfo YouTube and Facebook channels to enhance reach and make it available to fans anytime, anywhere, said the platform.
“Indian customers love two things – cricket and value for their money! As the presenting sponsors on ESPNcricinfo T20 Timeout, we are thrilled to engage cricket fans across the country, throughout the day as they consume match-related content and stories,” stated Maruti Suzuki senior executive director of sales and marketing Shashank Srivastava. “We have the daily post-match segment – Kam Se Kaam Banega Player of the Day centred on the key facet of our current campaign – optimisation or efficiency. These content propositions are a great way to reach out to our customers as they seamlessly integrate our brand communication and help us drive brand love.”
“We believe it is important for fans to be cautious and aware of what they are purchasing when it comes to a health insurance plan and our partnership will witness fan-favourites come together and educate viewers on the nuances of our Optima Secure Health Insurance,” commented HDFC Ergo General Insurance president of accident and health business Ravi Vishwanath. “IPL is a great communication platform for brands and ESPNCricinfo being the hub of all things cricket provides the opportunity to build awareness through intriguing post-match segments like “Sabse Bada Performer.”
In addition to the flagship show ESPNcricinfo is also hosting a range of in-depth programmes such as “Newsroom” and debate-led shows like “Runorder” and “Mute Me.”
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
