MUMBAI: Cricket fever has turned into a full-blown phenomenon as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup India 2025 smashes viewership records faster than a boundary off a power hitter’s bat.
Over 60 million viewers have already tuned in to the first 13 matches across Jiohotstar and Star Sports Network, a staggering five times more than the previous edition. Watch-time has also soared 12-fold to a jaw-dropping 7 billion minutes, proving that women’s cricket isn’t just winning hearts, it’s ruling screens.
The India vs Pakistan showdown on 5 October bowled the world over, becoming the most-watched women’s international cricket match in history with a reach of 28.4 million and 1.87 billion minutes watched. The India vs Australia clash wasn’t far behind, hitting a record 4.8 million peak concurrent viewers on Jiohotstar, the highest ever for women’s cricket.
Television audiences have been equally captivated. The India–Pakistan league game has become the highest-rated in Women’s ODI World Cup history, while the first 11 matches together reached 72 million viewers, marking a 166 per cent leap from the last tournament. Viewing minutes jumped 327 per cent to 6.3 billion, underscoring the growing passion for the women’s game.
“The incredible viewership for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup India 2025 is a true testament to the growing interest in women’s sports in India,” said Jiostar head of viewership and monetisation initiatives – sports Siddharth Sharma. “Fans are embracing women’s sports like never before, and at Jiostar, we’re proud to be the platform powering this movement.”
Much of the success stems from a unified marketing push by the ICC and Jiostar, supported by the BCCI. The ICC’s global ‘Will to Win’ campaign and Jiostar’s emotionally charged ‘Jersey wahi toh jazbaa wahi’ have together sparked a national conversation and brought fans closer to the women in blue.
The matches are being broadcast in five languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada, across Jiohotstar and Star Sports channels, with an Indian sign language feed introduced for the first time to make the game more inclusive.
MUMBAI: Four prime ministers, one stage, endless possibilities. The NDTV World Summit 2025, set for 17–18 October in New Delhi, will see an unprecedented convergence of global leadership: India’s PM Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan PM Harini Amarasuriya, former UK PM Rishi Sunak, and former Australian PM Tony Abbott. Two serving and two former heads of government sharing the stage underscores the Summit’s stature as a premier forum for ideas shaping the world.
Under the theme ‘Edge of the unknown: Risk. Resolve. Renewal.’, the Summit aims to tackle uncertainty with imagination, view resolve as deliberate action, and embrace renewal as the creation of uncharted futures. Topics will range from geopolitics and technology to ecology, culture, and economic innovation, offering a rare space where inherited realities meet unwritten possibilities.
NDTV CEO & editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal said, “This is a crucible of influence where ideas, imagination, and intention converge. The participation of four prime ministers alongside innovators, business leaders, and cultural icons reflects India’s central role in global dialogue and its growing impact on shaping a collective future.”
The Summit promises to be more than discussion, it will be a stage for vision, creativity, and global collaboration, positioning India at the heart of the world’s conversation and highlighting NDTV’s renewed commitment to curating conversations that matter.
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has declared war on foreign-made movies. The American president announced on Monday that he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on all films produced outside the United States, threatening to blow up Hollywood’s international operations. As well as possible revenues that Indian films make in Uncle Sam.
The move, posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform, marks an audacious expansion of his protectionist trade agenda into cultural industries. “Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing candy from a baby,” he wrote, taking a swipe at California’s “weak and incompetent” governor Gavin Newsom.
Yet the announcement left crucial questions unanswered. The White House offered no details on the legal authority Trump would invoke or how such tariffs would work in practice. Studio executives are baffled: modern filmmaking splices together production, financing, post-production and visual effects from multiple countries. How would a film shot in New Zealand with British money and American stars be classified?
Legal experts are equally sceptical. Films are intellectual property traded as services—a category where America typically runs a surplus. That raises doubts about whether tariffs can even be applied. Co-productions with foreign studios have become routine, further muddying the waters.
Trump first floated the idea in May, calling foreign productions a “national security threat” that imports “messaging and propaganda.” Entertainment executives were flummoxed then and remain so now.
The industry has increasingly decamped from Hollywood to chase tax breaks in Britain, Australia and New Zealand. California is scrambling to compete: Newsom has pushed to expand the state’s film tax credits. But some productions film abroad simply because their stories demand it. Directors like Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan favour shooting on location rather than on soundstages.
The major American studios declined to comment to Reuters. Netflix shares, however, slipped 1.5 per cent in early trading.
The silence from studios suggests an industry still trying to parse whether Trump’s threat is bluster or genuine policy. Either way, it signals fresh uncertainty for an entertainment business already grappling with streaming upheaval and rising costs.
MUMBAI: SBI Life Insurance, in partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), took breast cancer awareness to the international stage with the ‘Thanks-a-dot’ initiative. As part of the campaign, the Indian Women’s cricket team donned distinctive pink jerseys featuring the ‘Thanks-a-dot’ logo during their ODI against Australia, using the unifying power of cricket to amplify the life-saving message of early detection and self-examination.
Ahead of the match, SBI Life leaders along with actress and breast cancer survivor Mahima Chaudhry presented the specially designed jerseys to team India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates, symbolising solidarity and commitment to women’s health.
SBI Life, president & CDO, M. Anand said, “Thanks-a-dot is our heartfelt effort to empower women with awareness that can save lives. Partnering with BCCI and team India allows us to reach millions and inspire timely action on breast health.”
The initiative was integrated across multiple match touchpoints, from a reimagined dot ball counter tied to breast health kits for underprivileged women, to the pitch mat emblazoned with the TAD logo. Fans were engaged through symbolic gestures that reinforced the need for awareness and proactive self-checks.
Launched in 2019, ‘Thanks-a-dot’ has continually innovated to spread its message, including the “hug of life” hot water bag with 3D training lumps to encourage regular breast self-examinations.
By combining cricket’s reach with education, SBI Life’s ‘Thanks-a-dot’ continues to normalize conversations around breast cancer, reminding women that early detection can make all the difference. Staying true to its philosophy “Apne liye, apno ke liye,” the brand reaffirms its commitment to protection, awareness, and hope for families across India.
MUMBAI: JioStar’s new women’s WC ’25 campaign film opens with the protagonist asking his partner a slightly awkward question, “But is it necessary to wear the women’s jersey?” after she suggests he put one on for a match screening at a friend’s place. His partner, exasperated by the lingering stigma, looks on in dismay, pitying the shame that still surrounds supporting women in cricket. Undeterred, he steps out the door wearing the jersey, hiding it beneath a jacket.
On his way, he notices fellow Indians proudly donning women cricketers’ jerseys, from colleagues to even the office lift operator, who delivers the knockout line, “Virat khelein ya Smriti, jeetega toh India hi na” (whether it’s Virat or Smriti, India will win anyway). The moment sparks pride as the protagonist ditches the jacket and walks into the office with his Smriti Mandhana jersey proudly on display.
With the ICC women’s cricket world cup India 2025 just around the corner, JioStar’s “Jersey Wahi Toh Jazba Wahi” (conceptualised by Bubblewrap Films) celebrates the unifying power of the India jersey. It sends a clear message: no gender norms can diminish the pride of wearing blue, and the joy of support far outweighs the question, “Who watches women’s cricket anyway?”
JioStar, head of viewership and monetisation initiative – sports, Siddharth Sharma said, “This tournament is more than cricket. It is about rewriting history and inspiring a generation. Our endeavour is to channel this moment into a campaign that unites the country, reminding fans to take equal pride in every Indian jersey.”
The ICC women’s cricket world cup 2025, hosted across India and Sri Lanka, kicks off on 30 September in Guwahati with India facing co-host Sri Lanka. With matches lined up against Pakistan, Australia, England and others, the women in blue are chasing a trophy that has long eluded them.
With the roar of home crowds and the momentum of this campaign, JioStar aims to capture a cultural shift: cricket pride is not about gender, it is about the jersey and every fan who wears it.
MUMBAI: Rugby’s big break in India just got a power-packed boost courtesy GMR Group. One of India’s largest conglomerates has scrummed down with Rugby India to become the title partner of the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL), a first-of-its-kind franchise-based Rugby 7s tournament set to kick off in Mumbai on June 15, with the final scheduled for 29 June 2025.
Organised in collaboration with GMR Sports, the league promises to be a landmark moment for Indian rugby. The action will unfold at Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), featuring six founding franchises and a mix of global and homegrown talent.
The GMR Rugby Premier League (GMR RPL) will welcome players from rugby powerhouses like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji, Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA, and Spain, along with 18 international athletes from Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany. On the home front, 30 Indian players were picked from a competitive auction pool of 71, putting the spotlight on the country’s emerging talent.
GMR’s entry as title sponsor is no token gesture. With a strong track record in nurturing sport be it cricket with the Delhi Capitals, kabaddi, or grassroots initiatives the group’s involvement signals a serious intent to grow rugby’s footprint in India.
Calling it a “very important opening season,” Rugby India president Rahul Bose hailed the partnership as one rooted in “mutual belief and optimism.” He added, “We are confident this partnership will stand the test of time.”
For Indian rugby, this isn’t just a league, it’s a leap. And with GMR’s backing, the sport finally looks set to convert potential into points. Let the rucks and tries begin.
MUMBAI: Kho Kho, the homegrown Indian game of agility and grit, just got a high-speed upgrade on and off the mat. As the sport stretches beyond its traditional roots to stake its claim on the global stage, the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) is playing tag with the future by launching its most advanced training initiative yet.
The Advanced Level III-A Training Course for coaches and technical officials kicked off on June 2, 2025, at SGT University, Budhera, and will run till June 15. Organised by KKFI under the aegis of the International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF), the course is no ordinary classroom drill, it’s a knowledge sprint featuring 20 international coaches and officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Australia, England, Korea and Malaysia, alongside 50 Indian coaches and 65 technical officials.
From biomechanics to sports psychology, recovery techniques to anti-doping awareness, the curriculum mirrors a sport in metamorphosis. With morning fitness sessions and rigorous classroom modules, participants are being immersed in a next-gen playbook designed to take Kho Kho from kabaddi’s countryside cousin to a globally recognised sport.
5 June was a masterclass in modernisation with sessions on sports science by Pooja Bhati, anti-doping education by Vikas Tyagi and Anurag, and tactical training by legendary coach H. V. Nataraj. The day began with a sweat-inducing physical drill by Ashwani Sharma, reinforcing the discipline behind the dash.
“This course reflects our commitment to preparing a new generation of coaches and officials who are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and international exposure to take Kho Kho to the next level,” said KKFI president Sudhanshu Mittal. He also underlined how the sport is evolving with mat-based gameplay, a Decision Review System (DRS) and even the strategic ‘Wazir’ role.
The training for coaches wraps up on June 11 with a practical exam and reflective session, before the officials’ segment begins from 12–15 June.
With 135 participants in total and a syllabus as sharp as the game’s signature sprints, this course is more than just a seminar, it’s Kho Kho’s statement of intent. The message is clear: India isn’t just where the game began. It’s where the global future of Kho Kho is being written one pivot, one pass, and now, one world-class coach at a time.
MUMBAI: When you’ve got your eye on the prize, it helps to look the part. Cricket ace Pat Cummins is back in the frame literally as Carrera Eyewear extends its high-octane partnership with the Australian skipper into 2025, announcing a fresh drop from the Carrera|Pat Cummins selection ahead of schedule.
The collaboration blends athletic grit with sporty glamour, echoing Carrera’s philosophy of bold minds and bolder moves. And with Cummins’ CV getting shinier by the over from leading Australia to ODI World Cup and World Test Championship wins, to captaining Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 and beyond he’s not just wearing the shades, he’s embodying the brand.
While fans wait for the next wave of his co-branded collection, Cummins is already sporting the Carrera CSport 02 model from the Carrera Sport Collection, both on and off the pitch. It’s not just eyewear, it’s a performance statement, engineered with gum nose pads, anatomically designed temples, and customisable bands that keep things locked in, even when the action heats up.
Carrera’s latest sport drop plays in colour, taking cues from its archive and injecting vitaminic vibrance into a classic silhouette. The result? A sleek union of comfort, legacy, and locker-room-ready swag.
It’s eyewear that doesn’t flinch under pressure much like the man wearing it. And with the 2025 cricket season gearing up, expect Pat Cummins to keep setting his sights high with Carrera along for the run-up.
MUMBAI: The World Championship of Legends (WCL) Season 2 is set to serve fans a full toss of nostalgia and firepower, with West Indies stalwarts Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard leading the charge. The dynamic duo will don the maroon once again, this time for the West Indies Champions, a franchise that blends national pride with T20 pizzazz.
Bravo, whose last international outing was in 2021, isn’t just making a casual comeback. “Last time I left cricket, my body wasn’t prepared for what it could handle,” he shared. “Now it’s imperative that with my full attention on returning to T20 cricket, I stay committed and I perform well.”
Sharing on the excitement of taking the field with Kieron Pollard in the World Championship of Legends second season Dwayne adds, “Me and Kieron have a partnership way before we started playing franchise cricket. The only experience that we are going to share now is that we are going to be representing our nation again which is also our franchise for participation in the World Championship of Legends.”
At 40-plus, Bravo still holds the swagger of a T20 pioneer boasting a mind-boggling 631 wickets from 582 matches. He redefined death bowling and left an indelible mark on franchise cricket globally. Now, he’s out to prove that class, like a good calypso beat, never fades.
Joining him is longtime teammate and fellow West Indian legend Kieron Pollard, whose credentials are equally stellar 600 plus appearances and 11,000 runs in T20s, along with leading West Indies’ white-ball sides between 2019 and 2022.
Kieron Pollard also shares happiness on Bravo’s comeback for the World Championship of Legends season, he shares, “Hearing Dwayne coming back to play melts my heart. Dwayne is a true champion and the kind of cricketing career he had once, one can never argue that he has had it well and he has given back to cricket a lot.”
West Indies Champions owner Ajay Sethi who also acquired the franchise back in 2024 shared, “It is like reliving history in all its glory. Having Bravo and Pollard return to play T20 cricket is like bringing old friendship that defined West Indies’ golden era. To see them represent their own nation again in T20 is a moment that can never be forgotten.
World Championship of Legends founder & CEO Harshit Tomar commented on the significance of their inclusion: “The addition of Bravo and Pollard to the West Indies Legends squad marks a significant turning point for the championship’s second season. They will raise the tournament’s profile with their all rounder skills and captivating demeanor on and off the field.”
Easemytrip CEO and co-founder Nishant Pitti expressed his excitement about the announcement: “We are excited to welcome Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo to the Easemytrip World Championship of Legends. Fans will surely swarm the stands due to their immense star power.”
The event, approved by the England and Wales Cricket Board, isn’t just another friendly fixture, it’s the only official T20 tournament for retired pros, and it’s taken the nostalgia market by storm. Held in England, cricket’s spiritual home, the six-franchise format pits greats from South Africa, Australia, India, Pakistan, England, and the West Indies in a format that mixes sentiment with serious skill.
The second season of the World Championship of Legends promises high-octane action, high-stakes nostalgia, and a reminder that legends never truly retire, they just take longer warm-ups.
MUMBAI– LiveU, a leader in live IP-video and remote production solutions, today announced the successful implementation of its comprehensive IP remote production solution at Tabcorp – Sky Racing, transforming how Australia’s leading betting and entertainment company broadcasts live horse racing events. Sky Racing shares its live feeds with audiences worldwide, including viewers in Hong Kong, United States, and Europe.
Covering over 160,000 live horse races per year – broadcasting live on 150 channels on a huge range of formats (linear and digital) – Sky Racing also produces its own content. Using LiveU’s IP remote production solution, it now broadcasts horse races from eight tracks in Queensland (QLD) with high quality, low latency and resilient transmissions, managed from its central production hub in Brisbane. The remote production set-up has eliminated the need for traditional SNG trucks, Outside Broadcast trucks and full on-site crews, substantially reducing travel, accommodation, and equipment costs.
At its more remote locations Sky Racing has been able to reduce its costs by almost 80% by removing the whole satellite process and using LiveU. They’ve also reduced the need to send expensive OB trucks all over the state as they have moved to a model where they have designed a remote modular rack system with LiveU encoders installed in all their venues. The rack system can be turned on and tested remotely and from there the live feeds come directly into their centralized broadcasting hub. The production team can log in and support the system from anywhere in the world. Having a centralized hub has allowed further cost savings with certain staff being able to multitask between multiple venues (Director, CCU, Replay and Technicians for example).
“LiveU’s remote production solution has transformed how we deliver live races in Queensland for aggregation and distribution to our domestic and international markets,” said Jamie Ford, Technical Operations Manager – QLD, Tabcorp – Sky Racing. “By deploying their LU810 encoders across our tracks and using our production hub in Brisbane, we’ve achieved what was previously unthinkable – maintaining broadcast quality while significantly reducing operational costs and complexity. The system’s resilience and low latency, with seamless cellular backup and flexible return feeds, ensures we never miss a moment of action while maintaining the feeds needed in both directions.”
LiveU’s solution features LiveU’s multi-cam LU810 fixed encoders at each race track, supporting primary transmission of between 8 to 16 cameras (or other sources) per location, over high-speed WAN, sending up to four signals per device. For an extra layer of resilience, a cost-effective backup solution is in place using both LU810 encoders and separate LU810-M (modem) encoders connected via cellular. This set-up leverages the public internet for baseline reliability and can instantly switch to cellular if needed, removing the requirement for costly SNG backup trucks.
Production teams stay in sync between the field and the hub using LiveU’s remote production tools, including Video Return, Audio Connect, and IP Pipe. From the central production hub, teams can monitor up to 36 live camera feeds from eight different race tracks simultaneously with LiveU’s Transceiver letting operators customize and control return feeds for each track independently.
Ryan Osinga, Manager, Technical Services and Solutions, Tabcorp – Sky Racing, summed up, “We’ve ended up with a product that is cheaper, more reliable, and more resilient, it’s got more features, lower latency and we have a significant reduction in costs. For us the LiveU solution ticked every single box that we had.”
“Tabcorp went all-in on remote production for Sky Racing and we worked very closely with them to ensure that the solution was adapted to their production needs,” said Chris Dredge, Country & Sales Manager, LiveU Pacific. “The flexibility of the LiveU EcoSystem meant that we could devise an innovative workflow that worked for them, optimizing their resources on-the-ground and centrally. It’s a great use case for multi-venue events and we’re already seeing potential for similar projects elsewhere.”
Watch the video clip to see the full production in action:
About LiveU
LiveU offers a set of high-quality IP-video solutions for any live production – the LiveU EcoSystem. Built on its open, adaptable platform, the LiveU EcoSystem adds efficiency and shortens workflows across the entire video production chain, from contribution and production to distribution. Through innovative story-centric workflows, we help customers share their stories with a global audience in the most dynamic and engaging way. At the core of our EcoSystem lies LRT™ (LiveU Reliable Transport), LiveU’s pioneering protocol for IP bonding and wireless connectivity, ensuring rock-solid resiliency and low latency from any location. Customers can go live from anywhere with our advanced, network-agnostic connectivity solutions – combining cellular (including private 5G), fiber and satellite. With over 5,000 customers in 150 countries and world-class customer support, LiveU’s technology is the solution of choice for global broadcasters, sports, public safety and other organizations., visit www.liveu.tv, or follow us on X, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn or Instagram.
About Tabcorp
Tabcorp is Australia’s largest gambling company ‘creating the most engaging betting and entertainment experiences business’. Its brands include TAB, Australia’s biggest multichannel wagering brand, Sky Racing, the largest aggregator and distributor of horse racing content globally, Sky Sport Radio and MAX, Australia’s leading gaming services provider. Tabcorp is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
LiveU is working directly with the media arm, Sky Racing. For more information, visit https://www.tabcorp.com.au/
