New Delhi, March 4 (NationPress) The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 has made a remarkable mark in cricket history, achieving a record viewership in India that has surpassed 500 million, setting a new benchmark for T20 World Cups.

In a statement on X, Jay Shah expressed, “The @ICC #T20WorldCup 2026's journey began with the goal of becoming the most globally engaging and accessible cricket event. I am truly honored that India's viewership has reached 500 million, the highest recorded for any T20 World Cup. It is also encouraging to see a peak of 60.5 million concurrent viewers on @JioHotstar.”

“With the knockout matches commencing tonight, we are optimistic that the immense passion Indian fans have for our events will help us set even more records.”

On the pitch, the 2026 edition has presented thrilling matches and unexpected comebacks. The group stage featured 20 teams arranged into four groups of five, with the top two from each group moving on to the Super Eights.

Traditional powerhouses like Australia and Pakistan faced tough challenges early on, while up-and-coming teams such as Zimbabwe and Nepal showcased their growing talent in global T20 cricket.

The Super Eights phase heightened the competition further. The eight teams that advanced—India, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and Pakistan—were divided into two groups of four, where only the top two from each group made it to the semi-finals. Many matches were closely contested, with net run rate proving crucial in determining the final standings.

The semi-finalists, India, England, New Zealand, and South Africa, reflect both experience and consistency.

India will take on England in a much-anticipated showdown at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, reigniting a fierce rivalry, while New Zealand faces South Africa in the other knockout match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Both games are set to feature high-octane batting, strategic contests, and intense drama, with a spot in the final on the line.

The ICC's streaming platform has set a new record for concurrent views during the Super 8 match between India and the West Indies, exceeding the previous record established during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 final.

ICC.tv has already outpaced the total number of users and viewing minutes recorded during the entire 2024 tournament. Compared to the same stage last year, unique users have surged by 28 percent and total viewing time has increased by 56 percent.

On social media, the ICC has surpassed 10 billion video views and is on track to exceed the 16 billion views achieved in 2024.