The ICC has announced that the Women’s T20 World Cup has become the most-watched women’s cricket event ever

As the Australian women’s cricketers remain in COVID-19 self-isolation, the International Cricket Council has revealed their triumphant T20 World Cup win also smashed audience records.

Katy Perry, performs on stage surrounded by the Australian women’s cricket team. Picture: AAP IMAGE/SCOTT BARBOUR

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The jubilant scenes of the victorious Australian Women’s Cricket team celebrating their T20 World Cup win over India on stage alongside US pop star Katy Perry will long be remembered as iconic images from the tournament.

But the championship will be remembered for other reasons too.

The International Cricket Council has announced that the 2020 World Cup – held in venues across Australia from February 21, culminating in the final at the MCG on March 8 – has become the most watched women’s cricket event ever with 1.1 billion video views across ICC digital channels and 5.4 billion viewing minutes in India.

Katy Perry performs on stage with the Australian women's cricket team after the Aussies convincingly beat India in the Women's T20 World Cup final at the MCG on March 8. Picture: AAP IMAGE/SCOTT BARBOUR

The tournament also achieved the highest attendance for a women’s cricket event globally and the highest attendance for a women’s sporting event in Australia with a combined 136,549 total across all of the games, including more than 86,000 who attended the final.

The final, which Australia won convincingly by 85 runs, was not only the most watched women’s cricket match ever on TV in Australia with 1.2 million viewers, but the 86,174 turnout became the new record attendance for a women’s sport match in Australia and the second highest attendance for a women’s sport match globally (a record held by the US soccer team).

Megan Schutt, right, celebrates her team’s ICC Women's T20 World Cup final win over India with Beth Mooney, left and Rachael Haynes, middle. Picture: MARK STEWART

Spearhead Megan Schutt – who put in her career-best figures of 4/18 in the final against India – said it was clear there had been a shift in support around women’s cricket.

“I’ve even bumped into a few randoms not physically – I kept my 1.5m – in the street who watched the game and they say: ‘Oh, well done to you girls’ and I’m in complete random kit, so clearly they’re recognising me on my face which is a really cool change and I think that shows the shift of women’s sport that I am recognised now in casual kit.”

Originally published as The ICC has announced that the Women’s T20 World Cup has become the most-watched women’s cricket event ever