Disney+Hotstar creates new viewership record of 3.5 cr in India-Pak match

PTI, Oct 15, 2023, 2:52 PM IST

Image credit: PTI

The India-Pakistan match of the ICC Cricket World Cup on Saturday created a new viewership record with the peak touching the 3.5-crore mark, according to Disney+Hotstar.

The peak concurrency, which is the highest number of viewers during a live stream, for the India-Pak match on OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar was nearly 3.5 crore.

With this, it has surpassed the peak concurrency of 3.2 crore in the IPL finale between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, played earlier this year.

In the Asia Cup, the peak concurrency in India-Pakistan match was 2.8 crore, while in the semi final match between India and New Zealand of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, the peak concurrency was 2.53 crore.

The India-Pakistan match on Saturday was also live telecasted by Disney Star on Star Sports network but viewership numbers will be released only a week later by the television audience measurement body Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).

Disney Star has exclusive broadcast and media rights for both linear and digital platforms.

The India-Pak match was also screened by leading multiplex operator PVR INOX at its select cinema halls, where it reported a large number of visitors coming to watch the match. Several PVR INOX screens were completely sold out, it said.

Disney+ Hotstar India Head Sajith Sivanandan told PTI:” We would like to thank all the fans who tuned in to watch the India-Pakistan match on Disney+ Hotstar. Your love for the game is what made it possible for Disney+ Hotstar to break all the previous records across all cricket formats and hit a peak concurrency number of 3.5 crore viewers.” As the cricketing rivalries continue, Disney+Hotstar will continue to honour its commitment towards delivering an unmatched viewing experience to all its users, he said.

“We look forward to many more such experiences as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup unfolds,” said Sivanandan.

PVR INOX, which is showing all India league matches, and knock-out games, semi-finals, and finals, in 116 cinemas in more than 40 cities, on Saturday, witnessed phenomenal responses from the viewers for the India-Pakistan match, said its Co-CEO Gautam Dutta.