MUMBAI: The question was never whether the World Cup would deliver monster ratings, just how high could it go? TVRs for the ICC World Cup 2003 finals between Australia and India saw a new high with a TVR of 39.3 in Kolkata followed by Hyderabad and Mumbai with 30 and 25.5 respectively.

The six metros in the country averaged a TVR of 25.8 during the live match in C&S households, according to a MAX release.

Said MAX business head Rajat Jain: "The TAM ratings for the final match between India and Australia have broken all viewership records. MAX has got a channel share of 71.93 per cent in the base of all channels telecasting to C&S homes across the country, with Kolkata pegging a high of 81.98 per cent. Kolkata was followed by Hyderabad with a channel share of 74.94 per cent, Mumbai at 71.93 per cent, and Bangalore at 58.09 per cent."

Peak half-hour ratings too were similarly spectacular. Said Jain, "The peak half hour ratings during the Finals touched a high of 47.3 in Kolkata, which is a record in Indian television history. Hyderabad stood second at 33.3, followed by Mumbai at 28.5."

MAX’s Extraaa Innings also recorded phenomenal figures during the finals, with an average of 8.5 TVRs in the 6 metros in the C&S households, Jain said.

"MAX had set out to give greater value to our viewers and advertisers and other associates," said Mr Jain," and we have successfully converted the usual 8-hour Cricket match into an entertaining 11 hour presentation," he added.