The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s earlier this month set new broadcast and digital records in India, demonstrating the game’s continued popularity and JioStar’s effective marketing and production efforts.

The final of the third WTC cycle, in which South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets, has become the highest-rated and most watched (2.94 billion minutes of viewing) non-India Test match on television, with the most viewers (47 million) on the Star Sports network.

The WTC Final also had the highest-ever digital viewership, with 225 million views, matching the audience for the previous edition’s final, despite India’s match against Australia at The Oval.

Jay Shah, Chairman of the ICC, expressed his satisfaction with the broadcast and digital numbers in India, which demonstrated the importance of Test cricket to cricket fans.

The Test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground was also watched by 109,227 in-stadium visitors.

Shah stated, “The extraordinary audience figures for the ICC World Test Championship Final, across both broadcast and digital platforms, are a compelling testament to the popularity of high-quality Test cricket and the enhanced context of the WTC Final.

This format continues to command a dedicated and passionate global following and is an essential component of our sport’s identity.”

“What makes this success even more special is the enthusiasm shown by fans in regions beyond the two competing nations, reaffirming that cricket’s reach is truly international, and that the purest form of the game can thrive beyond national affiliations.”

“A special mention to JioStar, whose innovative and immersive coverage, captured the drama, emotion, and atmosphere of the ‘Ultimate Test’ in a way that deeply resonated with audiences around the world.”