Big start to the Big Dance: crowd, broadcast, digital numbers set new benchmarks

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 is off to a flying start, with new crowd, broadcast and digital coverage benchmarks set across the first six matches and four days of competition. 



India is the only team to have two wins at this stage of the tournament and remains undefeated following its 18-run triumph over Bangladesh on day four at the WACA Ground in Perth. In the earlier match in Perth as part of a double-header, hosts and defending champion Australia recorded its first win with a thrilling final-over victory over Sri Lanka. 



Action will continue on Wednesday 26 February at Manuka Oval in Canberra with a double-header featuring England v Thailand followed by West Indies v Pakistan. 



The following is a summary of highlights from the first four days of the event:



Crowd, broadcast and digital highlights:

• The opening match between Australia and India at Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday 24 February attracted a crowd of 13,432, more than tripling the record attendance for a women’s international cricket match in Australia which was 4,131 at a Women’s Ashes T20I at Manuka Oval, Canberra in 2017. 
  
  
  
  
  
  • The crowd for the double-header at the WACA Ground in Perth on Monday 24 February, which featured Australia v Sri Lanka and India v Bangladesh, was 5,280, the highest ever for a women’s cricket match in Western Australia
  
  
  
  • This means that already two match day crowds have eclipsed the previous record crowd to a women’s international cricket match in Australia
  
  
  
  
  
  



• Australia v India was the second most-watched women’s cricket match ever in Australia, and was on par with TV audiences in Australia for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2015
  
  
  
  
  
  • Australia v India on Friday 24 February had a combined average audience of 448k across 9GEM and Fox Cricket
  
  
  
  • The only women’s cricket match that was watched by more people was a T20I in 2018 between Australia and New Zealand
  
  
  
  
  
  



• Australia v India as a single game generated more viewing minutes in Australia than the entire ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018, held in the West Indies
  
  
  
  
  
  • 52.4m viewing minutes in Australia for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 compared to 34.9m in Australia for the entire ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018
  
  
  
  • The coverage of Australia v India was 50% higher than the entire tournament audience in Australia for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 
  
  
  
  
  
  



• Subsequently, after the first three days data of ratings, Australia viewing minutes are already 3.5 times higher than for the whole of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 held in the West Indies. This shows that support has not only been for the opening Australia v India match but also for non-Australia games.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Australia's upcoming matches against Bangladesh in Canberra on Thursday 27 February and New Zealand in Melbourne on Monday 2 March are expected to drive significant viewership nationally
  
  
  
  
  
  



• The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 has already amassed more video views on ICC digital channels than any previous ICC women’s event
  
  
  
  
  
  • Match highlights from Australia v India opening match is the most watched video clip on ICC digital channels so far
  
  
  
  • The second most-watched video clip is West Indies v Thailand match highlights
  
  
  
  • Video and written content can be found at the official event website T20worldcup.com
  
  
  
  
  
  

Other highlights:

• It’s been a tournament of ‘firsts’:
  
  
  
  
  
  • Sydney Showground Stadium became an international cricket venue for the first time
  
  
  
  • Thailand made its ICC World Cup debut as the game expands its global reach
  
  
  
  • WACA Ground in Perth hosted its first women’s T20 International
  
  
  
  • South Africa beat world number two England for the first time at an ICC event
  
  
  
  • Sophie Devine became the first batter ever (male or female) to log six T20I scores of 50+ in succession, when she made an unbeaten 75 in New Zealand’s opening match v Sri Lanka
  
  
  
  • Mignon du Preez became the first man or woman to make 100 T20I appearances for South Africa.
  
  
  
  • Rachael Haynes became the first Australia player to score a half-century batting at No.5 in the order of an ICC Women's T20 World Cup innings.
  
  
  
  
  
  



• World number one and defending champions Australia toppled by India, reflecting the strength of women’s cricket globally and opening up the tournament



• Four of the first six games at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 have seen the chasing team go to the final over



• As part of the ICC’s CSR program, ‘Cricket 4 Good’, nine team clinics with different teams have been conducted featuring 250 kids. A further five team clinics are scheduled to be conducted this week



• More than 900 schools have registered for the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Schools Program, representing around 10 per cent of the 9,000 primary and secondary schools across Australia



• Cricket clubs from around Australia have been taking part in anthem ceremonies and flag presentations at each match



• More than 500 volunteers have been recruited to participate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020, with a total of 1200 volunteers to be involved across the women’s and men’s events