The 13th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup, which ended on Sunday with Australia beating hosts India for their sixth title, attracted a record 1.25 million fans from the stands. This figure surpassed the previous mark of 1.016 million set at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.
Despite early matches not involving runners-up India having plenty of empty seats in venues, overall spectator figures had already surpassed the one million mark with six games to go. The tournament broke multiple broadcast and digital viewership records as well.
ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley called the one-day international (ODI) tournament a “great success.” He said, “The staggering attendance demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and excitement the ODI format continues to offer.” Tetley added that the tournament also united cricket fans globally in a celebration of the sport.
Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.