IPL 2020 | MI vs CSK opening game set new viewership record, reveals Jay Shah

The 2020 IPL commenced with the defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on last year's  finalists Chennai Super Kings. It was a clash of titans, with the sides being the two most successful teams in IPL history. Quoting a Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) survey, BCCI secretary Jay Shah tweeted that the tournament opener was witnessed by as many as 20 crore people. 

“Opening match of #Dream11IPL sets a new record! As per BARC, an unprecedented 20 crore people tuned in to watch the match. Highest ever opening day viewership for any sporting league in any country- no league has ever opened as big as this. @IPL@SGanguly99 @UShanx@DisneyPlusHS,” Shah tweeted on Tuesday.

Earlier, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had also said that TV broadcasters are expecting the highest ever TV rating this time as most of the people who used to attend the games from the ground will also tune in to watch the game on TV from their home.

"Crowds will watch it on television...they (the broadcasters) are actually expecting the highest rating of IPL this season because they believe if (people) don't turn up in the ground, they will be actually watching on their television sets," Ganguly had said.

This year's IPL was finally moved out of India given the poor situation in the country due to novel Coronavirus. As a result, UAE is hosting this year's IPL across three venues. The tournament commenced on September 19 and will conclude on November 10. So far, three matches have taken place in the IPL with CSK, DC and RCB winning a game each, with MI, KXIP and SRH losing out their first respective games.