Sports
Champions Twenty20 League off to a slow start
MUMBAI: Before it started, people wondered if the Airtel Champions Twenty20 League would be able to match the popularity of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The answer for now is no.
Tam data (C&S, 4+) shows that the first six matches only delivered an average TVR of 1.16. This is despite the fact that an Indian IPL franchise featured in three of these matches.
The highest rating for this event was the opening match between Bangalore and Cape Cobras on 8 October which got a rating of 2.01 TVR. The match between the Deccan Chargers and Sussex Sharks on 10 October got a rating of 1.80 TVR while the contest between the Delhi Daredevils and Victoria Bushrangers fetched a rating of 1.43.
The matches not featuring an Indian side did not even reach a TVR of 1. Compared with this, the second edition of the IPL managed an average TVR of 4.2 despite the fact that it was played in South Africa.
The Twenty20 World Cup earlier this year, which again took place in South Africa, fared better than the Champions Twenty20 League, held in India, with an average TVR of 2.89. Around 37.1 million viewers have tuned in to this event so far.
For those who think that T20 delivers better than ODIs, that is not necessarily the case. The Compaq Cup which was a tri series ODI featuring India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand got an average TVR of 3 on Ten Sports.
Sports
Sony Sports Network to broadcast 10 India cricket series
‘Goonjega India’ campaign brings non-stop Team India action from May 28 to Diwali across TV and Sony LIV.
MUMBAI: Sony Sports Network has just hit a massive six, it’s set to make Indian cricket goonjega louder than ever this season. Under its new campaign ‘Goonjega India’, the network will broadcast an unprecedented 10 major India series from 28 May 2026 right through to Diwali. Nine of them will also stream live on Sony LIV, giving fans wall-to-wall cricket across formats and borders.
The blockbuster calendar kicks off with the India Women’s Tour of England (3 T20Is and 1 Test in May-July), followed by the highly anticipated India Tour of England (5 T20Is and 3 ODIs in July exclusive to Sony Sports Network). The action rolls on with the India Tour of Sri Lanka in August, the India Tour of New Zealand in October-November, and both men’s and women’s T20 competitions at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (17 September to 3 October). Rounding off the line-up are four key ACC events: the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, U19 Men’s Asia Cup 2026 and U19 Women’s Asia Cup 2026.
Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer and business head of sports and international Rajesh Kaul said, “Cricket remains the biggest force in India’s sporting culture, and with Goonjega India, we are bringing fans an extraordinary run of Team India action from May 28 to Diwali. From the Women in Blue’s England tour to the men’s marquee clashes in England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, alongside the Asian Games and major ACC tournaments, this is one of the most compelling cricket line-ups on Indian television.”
To build excitement, Sony Sports Network has released three high-energy animated films that celebrate the scale, emotion and rivalry of the season from the opening roar on 28 May to the Diwali blockbuster in New Zealand.
From the first ball in England to the final fireworks before Diwali, Indian cricket is about to echo across living rooms like never before. Whether you’re cheering for the Women in Blue, the Men in Blue or the rising U19 stars, Sony Sports Network has made sure there’s barely a day without a reason to shout “India! India!” This season, the calendar isn’t just packed, it’s perfectly pitched.
