India-Pakistan World Cup clash becomes most-watched women’s match in history
The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan has become the most-watched women’s cricket match of all time across digital platforms, the ICC confirmed on Thursday.
The October 5 encounter, one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament, recorded an extraordinary 28.4 million reach and 1.87 billion total minutes viewed, setting an unprecedented global benchmark for women’s sport viewership.
According to ICC data, the India-Pakistan showdown wasn’t an isolated spike, as the entire first half of the World Cup’s league stage has witnessed record-breaking engagement across both digital and broadcast mediums.
The opening 11 matches, featuring marquee teams like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and South Africa, collectively reached 72 million viewers, representing a 166% surge compared to the previous edition.
Viewing minutes soared by an astonishing 327%, totaling 6.3 billion minutes.
Even the early phase of the competition surpassed expectations, with the first 13 matches amassing over 60 million viewers, five times more than in 2022, and an aggregate 7 billion minutes of watch time, a twelve-fold increase.
While stadium attendance has been mixed, with sellout crowds for games involving India and Sri Lanka and thinner turnouts for neutral fixtures, the surge in global engagement underscores the tournament’s growing impact and popularity.
Adding to the record spree, the India vs Australia league encounter on October 12 reached 4.8 million peak concurrent viewers, setting another all-time high for women’s cricket.
The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan has become the most-watched women’s cricket match of all time.
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