In a significant move, JioCinema, the OTT platform under Reliance’s umbrella, will livestream India’s upcoming 3-match ODI series against Australia at no cost. This marks the platform’s entry into international series coverage and is set to enhance the way cricket fans experience the game.
The series will be broadcast in 11 different languages, making it accessible to a diverse audience. To provide insightful commentary and analysis, JioCinema has enlisted renowned cricketing experts, including Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, Aakash Chopra, Amit Mishra, Hanuma Vihari, Kiran More, Anirudha Srikanth, Sarandeep Singh, and others.
This move comes as Viacom18, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, secured exclusive media rights for both international and domestic cricket matches organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This remarkable deal, spanning from September 2023 to March 2028, was clinched at a staggering ₹67.8 crore per match, surpassing competitors like Sony Pictures Networks India.
The ODI series between India and Australia is a highly anticipated event, providing a glimpse into the future of Indian cricket broadcasting. Anil Jayaraj, CEO of Viacom18 Sports, expressed the company’s commitment to transforming the sports-watching experience by leveraging digital platforms alongside traditional TV broadcasts.
Viacom18 holds rights for both digital and TV broadcasting of all Indian cricket teams’ home matches, covering both men’s and women’s teams. TV viewers can catch the action on channels like Colors Tamil (Tamil), Colors Bangla Cinema (Bengali), Colors Kannada Cinema (Kannada), Colors Cineplex Superhits (Hindi), Sports18-1 SD, and Sports18-1 HD (English).
The series holds immense significance as India and Australia gear up for the impending ICC World Cup 2023, scheduled to begin in October in India. The first match of the series is slated for September 22, with subsequent matches on September 24 and 27.
JioCinema will stream the matches in 11 languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. To engage fans further, JioCinema is launching the “Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan” contest, offering participants a chance to win exciting prizes, building on the success of the contest during the 2023 TATA IPL.
Cricket enthusiasts can now look forward to enjoying high-quality live streaming of the India vs. Australia ODI series, all for free, thanks to JioCinema and Viacom18’s pioneering efforts in the world of digital sports broadcasting.