BENGALURU: A record 1.25 million fans attended matches during the 13th edition of the World Cup, which concluded on Sunday with Australia beating hosts India for their sixth title, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.

A total of 1,250,307 fans watched the Oct 5-Nov 19 showpiece event from the stands, surpassing the previous mark of 1.016 million set at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.

While the early matches not involving runners-up India had plenty of empty seats in venues, overall spectator figures had already surpassed the one million mark with six games to go.

ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley said the ODI tournament had been a “great success”.

“The staggering attendance demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and excitement the ODI format continues to offer,” Tetley said in a statement, adding that the tournament also broke multiple broadcast and digital viewership records.

“It has been an event that has not only entertained but also united cricket fans globally in a celebration of the sport.”

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2023