MUMBAI: The World Cup is off to a solid start, scoring across the country with a peak TVR of 12.2 as India demolished Bangladesh in the inaugural match.

The contest fetched an average TVR of 7.47, according to data from Tam Sports (C&S4+).
 
The ratings more or less matched the six-metro market performance, demonstrating the mass popularity cricket has in the country. In the metros, the opener got a peak TVR of 12.48 and an average TVR of 7.8.

In 2007, India‘s first match against Bangladesh got a TVR of 8.85. The reach, though, has gone up now with 76 million people tuning in compared to 52 million in 2007.
 
The Tam ratings released today stated a TVR of 2.71 for the opener on Star Cricket, while ESPN got a TVR of 1.98. Star Sports, which has a Hindi feed, earned a rating of 1.01 while Doordarshan got a rating of 1.89.

According to the data, 33 million viewers tuned in to Star Cricket, 28 million to DD, 25 million to ESPN and 17 million to Star Sports.

The first match of the 2007 World Cup between West Indies and Pakistan got a TVR of 3.66, while 40 million viewers tuned in.
 
This time 14 million people tuned in for the Opening Ceremony on 17 February. Eight million viewers tuned in to Star Cricket for the Opening Ceremony, four million to ESPN and two million to Star Sports.

From a platform perspective, 12 million tuned in on terrestrial for the opening match, 76 million on cable and satellite and 11 million on digital. The opening ceremony this time saw 14 million viewers tuning on cable and satellite while two million tuned in on digital.