IPL 2021: MI vs CSK becomes the most-watched mid-season clash in the history

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) served the cricket fans with utmost entertainment as there were high-scoring fixtures, low scoring-games, last-ball thriller, and Super Over-finishes. In a disappointing turn of events, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to postpone the T20 Championship after hosting just 29 fixtures.

There was an upsurge in the positive covid-19 cases among players and support staff. Thus keeping in mind the safety and health of other players and members involved in IPL 2021, BCCI believed that it was in their best interest to postpone the league for an indefinite time. Meanwhile, IPL 2021 was iconic in many ways and the tournament has already created history in terms of viewership too. 

IPL 2021 had the fans hooked to their television screens all the time and the same has translated into the numbers. As per the viewership details released by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the highly-anticipated clash between three-time champion Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians is the most-watched match of the cash-rich league.

The game has scripted history as it also becomes the most-watched midseason match ever in the history of the Indian Premier League. Mid-season games refer to all the IPL matches excluding the opening fixture and the final game of the league. 

IPL 2021 surpassed the overall reach to 367 million versus 357 million in 2020

In addition, it is learned that there has been an increase in the reach of the T20 Championship. In the T20 edition hosted in the United Arab Emirates, the overall reach of the tournament read 357 million. IPL 2021 surpassed that number as the overall reach was recorded a stunning 367 million.

“With 11.2 billion minutes, the MI-CSK game became the most-watched IPL mid-season match ever (in BARC history). This match also became the most-watched match of season 14. This is in addition to IPL 2021 surpassing the overall reach to 367 million versus 357 million in 2020. The growth in numbers is a testament to the faithful fan following that IPL enjoys and the continuous effort by Star and Disney to innovate and grow the league each year,” a source in Disney-Star told TOI on Friday.