Mumbai, March 7 (NationPress) The ICC T20 World Cup 2026's second semi-final, featuring the defending champions India against the two-time winners England at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, has achieved a remarkable milestone as the most-streamed T20I match ever, garnering an astounding 619 million views. This figure eclipses the previous record of 533 million views set during the T20 World Cup 2024 Final between India and South Africa.

India's premier streaming platform, JioHotstar, reported a peak of 65.2 million concurrent viewers during this thrilling match, establishing a new world record for the highest concurrency ever recorded for a live event on any digital platform globally.

This peak concurrency surpassed the earlier global benchmark of 65 million set by an international streaming service in November 2024, which accumulated viewership from multiple markets. In contrast, JioHotstar's achievement was driven solely by viewers within a single market.

Combining viewership across both linear television and digital platforms, the semi-final reached over 320 million viewers, with total watch-time exceeding an incredible 23 billion minutes, marking it as the most-watched T20I match of all time.

Commenting on this record-breaking streaming, ICC Chairman Jay Shah expressed, "It's incredibly gratifying to witness the ICC Men's T20 World Cup uniting hundreds of millions of cricket enthusiasts in India." He further stated, "The astonishing figures recorded during the India vs. England semi-final showcase not only the fervor of cricket fans but also the significant strides made in enhancing the accessibility and engagement of the sport for audiences worldwide. This World Cup will be remembered for both its on-field excitement and the way millions of fans united to celebrate the game."

Uday Shankar, Vice-Chairman of JioStar, remarked, "This achievement is a testament to JioStar's technological prowess and creativity, as well as the ICC’s dedication to amplifying the sport of cricket." He added, "One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final on Thursday, and when hundreds of millions of people engage with the game, cutting-edge technology is essential for delivery. This is a glimpse into the future of entertainment."

Regarding the match itself, India batted first after losing the toss and set a formidable total of 253 runs in 20 overs. England put up a valiant effort, led by Jacob Bethell's century, but ultimately fell short by 7 runs, finishing at 246 runs.