Cricket fans in India have tuned in to the ongoing England-West Indies Test series in record numbers, surpassing the five-Test Ashes series last year in per match average audience.
Indian fans, starved of LIVE quality cricket since the South Africa had to abandon their tour of India earlier this year, have made first #Raisethebat Test the most-watched non-India Red Ball international game in the country.
South Africa’s three-match One Day International series in India in March this year was cancelled without a ball being bowled. The first ODI in Dharamshala was washed out due to rain, and the remaining two games were suspended to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 pandemic.
ENGLAND-WINDIES TEST SETS AUDIENCE RECORD |
|
Series |
Viewing Min (Mn) | Cum Reach (Mn) |
Channels |
| ASHES-19 (Avg of 5 Tests) | 62.6 | 2.83 | Sony Six, Six HD |
| Eng-Windies 1st Test | 64.5 | 2.62 | Sony Six, Six HD |
India, 2+
According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council, the first Test has recorded 64.5 million viewing minutes on Sony Six and Sony Six HD channels, which is 3% more than the per Test average of the Ashes 2019. The epic England-Australia Test battle had a per-match average of 62.6 million viewing minutes on the same channels.
“Viewership for the first Test Match between England and West Indies is higher by 3% as compared to the average of all the 5 Test matches featured in (2019) Ashes series,” BARC has stated.
However, the Ashes has had better cumulative average per match reach of 2.83 million. The England-West Indies first Test had a cumulative reach of 2.62 mn on Sony Six and Six HD.