- Pat Cummins' team achieved great results in 2023
- Captured the World Test Championship in England
- Stunned fans by India winning the ODI World Cup
Australia's all-conquering men's team have ended the year with another victory, with the ICC revealing that last month's shock victory over India in the ODI World Cup was the most-watched match of all time.
According to the sport's governing body, the final attracted a whopping 87.6 billion live viewing minutes around the world, a 46 percent increase from the last time India reached the final in 2011.
The tournament broke all kinds of broadcast and digital records, with a total of more than a trillion viewing minutes aired as India progressed through the World Cup, only to fall to the Aussies at the final hurdle.
Australia's underdog victory over hosts India in the ODI World Cup final is the most watched cricket match in the sport's long history
Pat Cummins (pictured after World Cup victory) has led Australia to incredible results in 2023, including retaining the Ashes and winning the World Test Championship
That didn't stop the locals tuning into every delivery, while Australia's numbers also went through the roof after bouncing back from a slow start to the tournament and breaking Indian hearts thanks to a masterful Travis Head century.
“Host country India contributed significantly to the staggering figures with 422 billion viewing minutes on the Disney Star Network alone, resulting in an increase of a whopping 54 percent from 2011 and 9 percent from 2019,” the statement said. ICC.
“The increase in female viewers played a role in the overall growth, from 32 percent during the 2011 edition to 34 percent in the current year. This shift underscored the widespread enthusiasm surrounding the host nation's tournament.
'There was also significant growth in broadcasting outside India, especially in the UK and Australia.
Travis Head (left) and Marnus Labuschagne (right) kick off the festivities at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad
Superstars Glenn Maxwell and Virat Kohli (pictured together) featured in some of the most viewed clips on social media
'The UK witnessed 800 hours of live coverage, resulting in more than 586 billion minutes of live viewing. Australia contributed 3.79 billion viewing minutes from 602 hours of live coverage, a 92 percent increase from 2011.
'Australia's success at the tournament also meant that 9.1 million people watched the 2023 World Cup, an increase of three million on 2019.'
The final peaked at a ridiculous 59 million fans tuning in simultaneously, with the ICC also recording digital record numbers with 16.9 billion views.