ICC Chairman Jay Shah praised the opening weekend of the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, citing record attendance and viewership numbers. In a post on X, Shah said nearly 45,000 fans attended matches across Birmingham, Manchester and Southampton, marking the largest start ever for an ICC women’s event. He noted the India versus Pakistan match drew over 25 million unique viewers on JioHotstar in India, surpassing the total viewership of the previous edition. Sky Sports also recorded its highest-ever audience for a Women’s T20 World Cup match in the UK. Shah added that the women’s cricket movement is already making history. The tournament has seen eight matches so far, including upsets against defending champions New Zealand, who lost to West Indies and Sri Lanka. India defeated Pakistan by 64 runs and sit second in Group A behind Australia.
