In a landmark move that could reshape the landscape of women’s cricket broadcasting in India, Amazon’s Prime Video has announced it will stream the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup free of charge to all viewers. This decision, coming just hours before the tournament’s opening match, represents the most significant accessibility boost for women’s sports in recent Indian broadcasting history.
The free streaming model breaks from traditional paywall approaches that have often limited women’s cricket viewership to dedicated fans willing to pay premium subscription fees. Industry analysts suggest this could potentially multiply viewership numbers by 300-400% compared to previous tournaments, creating a massive platform for emerging stars like Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues to capture the nation’s imagination.
Why would a global streaming giant forego potential subscription revenue? The answer lies in the long-game strategy of capturing India’s cricket-crazed market. With approximately 20 million Prime Video subscribers in India compared to 150 million Disney+ Hotstar subscribers during peak IPL seasons, Amazon is strategically leveraging women’s cricket as a loss leader to acquire new users and build brand loyalty.
This approach mirrors Star India’s successful strategy with the 2015 Men’s World Cup, which helped establish Hotstar as a streaming powerhouse. However, Prime Video’s completely free access model takes this several steps further, eliminating even the basic subscription barrier that limited initial Hotstar growth.
The timing is particularly significant given the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) renewed focus on women’s cricket. Recent months have seen increased domestic contracts, more A-team tours, and greater investment in grassroots infrastructure. Free broadcasting amplifies these efforts by ensuring maximum visibility for the sport at its highest level.
For advertisers, this creates an unexpected bonanza. Women’s cricket typically commands lower advertising rates than men’s tournaments, but free access could generate viewership numbers that force a market correction. Brands targeting female audiences and families—segments that have shown growing interest in women’s sports—are particularly poised to benefit.
The infrastructure challenge remains substantial. While urban India is well-equipped for streaming, rural areas still face connectivity issues. Prime Video’s partnership with telecom providers to offer data-free streaming or low-bandwidth options could determine how deeply this initiative penetrates beyond metropolitan centers.
This move also increases pressure on traditional broadcasters. Sony Sports and Star Sports have held women’s cricket rights for years but often relegated matches to secondary channels with limited promotion. Prime Video’s aggressive play forces them to reconsider their approach to women’s sports broadcasting.
Most importantly, this decision could fundamentally alter how young girls across India perceive cricket as a career. When Harmanpreet Kaur’s team reached the 2017 World Cup final, viewership spiked to 50 million despite limited broadcast access. With free streaming, that number could easily triple, inspiring countless young athletes to take up the sport seriously.
The real test will come in execution. Streaming quality, Hindi commentary options (confirmed by sources), and pre-match analysis quality will determine whether casual viewers become converted fans. Prime Video is known for high-production values in original content, but live sports present different technical challenges.
If successful, this model could become the template for future women’s sporting events in India—from badminton to hockey—potentially triggering a broader media rights revolution that prioritizes accessibility over immediate profitability.
As the Women’s World Cup begins today, all eyes will be on viewership metrics. Should Prime Video’s gamble pay off, it might forever change how streaming platforms value women’s sports in the world’s second-most populous nation.
