840 billion minutes watched: IPL 2025 breaks viewership records as final becomes most-watched T20 match ever, BARC data reveals

The 2025 season of the IPL wasn’t just about the cricket. It was a season full of unforgettable moments, from Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally winning their maiden title to record-breaking viewership that brought the country together like never before. According to official broadcaster JioStar, this season saw more than 840 billion minutes of total watch-time across television and digital platforms. Over one billion people tuned in to watch the action. The final between RCB and Punjab Kings turned out to be the most-watched T20 match in history. It pulled in an incredible 31.7 billion minutes of viewing time across platforms. On TV, the match was watched by 169 million people. On digital, it set new benchmarks with 892 million video views and a peak concurrency of 55 million viewers. JioHotstar saw a 29% rise in digital viewing compared to last year, with more and more fans watching the games on large-screen devices. On television, Star Sports delivered 456 billion minutes of live coverage, the highest ever for the tournament. Sanjog Gupta, CEO of Sports and Live Experiences at JioStar, said: “The incredible viewership numbers show us how much fans love the IPL. This season, we focused on offering something for everyone — from new viewers watching casually, to hardcore fans who don’t miss a ball. Our aim was to make the experience more personalised, interactive and inclusive for all.”Quiz: Who's that IPL player? Even though the tournament was briefly suspended mid-season, the excitement didn’t dip. The first weekend alone saw 49.5 billion minutes of viewing which is a new record for an IPL opening weekend. Beyond the numbers, IPL 2025 gave fans memories that will last a lifetime. Virat Kohli finally lifted the trophy. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi stunned the world with a century on debut. And fans got to experience the games in more ways than ever, from 4K viewing to VR and even sign language feeds. As the IPL chapter closes, cricket fans now turn their attention to England, where India will take on Ben Stokes’ England side in a five-Test series starting June 20, live on JioHotstar.