iWorld
ZEE5 ropes in Tata Elxsi for front-end development
MUMBAI: ZEE5, the new OTT platform by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, has partnered with Tata Elxsi for its front-end application development. Tata Elxsi has driven the integration of ZEE5 with the video backend, multi-lingual front-end user experience and multi-CDN networks.
Zee International and Z5 Global CEO Amit Goenka said, “With language as its central proposition, ZEE5 is a digital entertainment platform for every Indian, irrespective of what language they speak and how tech savvy they are. Considering this varied user base, we have used superbly sophisticated technology to make the platform extremely easy to use, with features like display language and content-language selection, voice search and download to watch offline. Tata Elxsi brings in great technical expertise and domain knowledge, and has been a key partner for us in enabling a great user experience on ZEE5.”
At the device level, the Tata Elxsi teams have powered the next generation voice-based user interfaces and integration with multiple DRMs on Android, iOS, Web as well as Android TVs.
Tata Elxsi VP and head – broadcast business unit K P Sreekumar said, “We congratulate ZEE Entertainment on the successful launch of ZEE5. This next generation platform is a key milestone for the industry. With its unique multi-lingual, multi-screen offering, ZEE5 sets a new bar as far as personalised viewer experience is concerned, with its 11 display language options, 12 content language options, download and watch offline and voice search features.”
The app offers the originals, Indian and international movies and TV shows, music, live TV, and health and lifestyle content across 12 languages.
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.
