Beyond the Boundary: AI, influencers rewrite the cricket playbook

Mumbai: India's broadcasters, streaming platforms and technology companies are increasingly expanding beyond live cricket into original programming and creator-led formats around the sport, as they seek to deepen fan engagement and monetise audiences throughout the year, industry executives said.

The development shows how cricket is evolving from a live sports property into a broader entertainment ecosystem, with cricketers increasingly emerging as mainstream entertainment personalities. With more than 950 million fans, cricket remains India's most popular sport and one of the biggest content drivers across television and streaming platforms.

Google has partnered with former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen for a 90-episode series. Pietersen, who runs the YouTube channel The Switch | Kevin Pietersen, will use the video-sharing platform's global reach of more than 2.7 billion monthly active users along with Google Gemini tools to create and enhance content.

The rise in non-live cricket consumption is also fuelling creator-led formats, reaction videos, analysis shows and behind-the-scenes programming.

ZEE5 has launched Cricket Darbar, a Hindi weekly show streaming on its Free5 offering, which includes free access to television shows, films, K-dramas, web series, news and children's programming.

"Cricket fandom today speaks a language of its own, shaped by memes, banter and real-time reactions that bring fans closer to the game and to each other," said Kartik Mahadev, chief marketing officer at Zee Entertainment Enterprises.

Sony Pictures Networks India is preparing to launch a show featuring cricketer Rohit Sharma as part of a broader entertainment-led initiative across Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma set for entertainment debut on Sony platforms

Nachiket Pantvaidya, chief content officer at Sony Pictures Networks India, said the partnership with Rohit Sharma brings together cricket and entertainment to reach audiences across formats and platforms, while also creating opportunities to build engagement beyond live sports content.

"Cricket in India has evolved from a sport into a content ecosystem," said Uday Mohan, chief operating officer at Havas Media India. "Original programming, celebrity-driven formats and behind-the-scenes storytelling are extending cricket's cultural footprint across 365 days, creating high-affinity audiences that brands can engage with far more contextually and continuously."

Cricket-related video views on YouTube India jumped from around 50 billion as of mid-2024 to nearly 190 billion in 2025, highlighting growing demand for highlights, analysis, creator-led shows and fan conversations outside live matches.

The surge in digital consumption is reshaping platform strategies.

Streaming platform Netflix recently partnered with IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad as an official entertainment partner, launching campaigns featuring players from both teams.