According to the ICC, this tournament was watched for an astonishing 368 billion minutes around the world. This number is 19% higher than the previous record held by the 2017 edition. What’s even more exciting is that fan engagement hit an all-time high — with an average of 308 million minutes watched per over, making it the most popular ICC event ever in terms of viewer interest.

But the road to this success wasn’t easy. Before the tournament began, tensions between India and Pakistan raised doubts about how the event would proceed. Due to political issues, India refused to play in Pakistan and played all of its matches in Dubai instead. This led to the introduction of a ‘hybrid model’, where most matches were held in Pakistan, and India’s games were hosted separately. Although some critics initially opposed this arrangement, it did not hurt the tournament’s popularity at all — in fact, it may have helped it reach a wider audience.

In the final match of Champions Trophy 2025, India emerged victorious, claiming their third Champions Trophy title, having previously won in 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka) and in 2013.

Seeing the overwhelming success of this hybrid model, the ICC has now announced that upcoming major tournaments — including the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup — will also follow this new format.

This moment marks a huge win for Pakistan, both as a cricket-loving nation and as a global sports host — proving to the world that despite political challenges, cricket can unite millions and break records.