NEW DELHI: The ongoing Women’s Cricket World Cup has set a new viewership record, with 60 million fans already having watched the first 13 one-day matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Thursday.
In a landmark for the women’s game, this tournament also features the highest prize money in its history, surpassing the purse of the previous men’s ODI World Cup with a total of $13.88 million (11.9 million euros).
The 13th edition of the premier women’s 50-over competition, which commenced last month across India and Sri Lanka, features eight teams vying for the title, which will be decided in the final on November 2.
“According to data released jointly by ICC and JioHotstar, the first 13 matches of the tournament have already reached over 60 million viewers, a five-fold increase over the 2022 edition,” the ICC stated.
A highly anticipated match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on October 5 in Colombo became the most-watched women’s international cricket match ever, drawing 28.4 million viewers.
The defending champions, Australia, are aiming for a record-extending eighth Women’s World Cup title, while host nation India is pursuing its first-ever championship win.
Pakistan is playing all of its matches in Colombo as part of a hybrid model agreement, a compromise that facilitates the participation of both India and Pakistan at neutral venues within multi-nation tournaments.
