New Delhi: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has changed the timing of the upcoming T20 International matches to be played between India and England. Under this change, three floodlit matches will now start at 5.30 pm BST (British Summer Time) i.e. 10 pm Indian time, which is one hour earlier than before.
This step has been taken specifically to increase the number of TV viewers. Indian cricket fans watch T20 matches with great enthusiasm and passion, and this initiative aims to maximize viewership by bringing matches played in England to India in prime time.
T20 cricket has become the most popular format across the globe, and with the growing popularity of the Indian Premier League (IPL), viewership expectations have also increased. It also impacts TV ratings and broadcast rights prices. According to the ECB, this change in match time covers the prime hours of the night Indian time, which will make it easier for viewers to watch live.
The previously scheduled match time was 6.30 pm BST (11 pm IST) in the UK, which was too late at night for viewers in India. According to the new time, the matches will start at 5.30 pm BST (10 pm IST) and end at around 12.30 am, giving the spectators an opportunity to experience the thrill of the match without staying up late at night.
The decision has been welcomed by the media and fan clubs in India. Cricket experts believe that this change will increase the TV viewership of the match, which will also enable the cricket of both the countries to gain significant economic benefits.
ECB said on its official website, “Ensuring the best experience for our fans is our priority. Therefore, keeping in mind the large number of viewers in India, the timing of the match has been changed.” The thrill of the India-England T20 series will now be available to the Indian audience with even better timing.
