A first for Indian sports streaming, Disney+ Hotstar, the streaming service that has the rights to stream the tournament this year, announced on Wednesday that the ICC Men’s T20 cricket World Cup will be available to visually and hearing-impaired viewers in Hindi audio description and Indian Sign Language (ISL). According to reports, the event is worth ₹1,600–2,000 crore in the media.
The broadcaster said it would be the first time the T20 World Cup will be broadcast in sign language and descriptive commentary, making cricket more immersive for deaf, hearing, and visually impaired users.
Information and Broadcasting and Youth and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur welcomed the move by saying “I thank Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar for presenting Indian Sign Language and audio description for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Government of India is committed to creating an inclusive society and I strongly believe this initiative will enhance the viewing experience of millions of differently abled sports fans.”
Sajith Sivanandan, Head of Disney+ Hotstar India said, “We are excited about the accessibility features that will bring the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to even more sports fans. It underscores our commitment to foster inclusivity and serve all users. With these enhancements, let’s aim to ensure that the excitement of cricket knows no bounds.
Disney has started airing Indian Premier League matches with Hindi dubbing in 2022, despite the fact that ISL commentary is new to streaming. The franchise is presently owned by JioCinema, although it is currently without ISL commentary, descriptive music in any language, or subtitles. Five billion people watched the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup on Hotstar simultaneously, which is half of the IPL qualifiers for this season. The IPL TV rights holder, Star Sports, debuted comparable accessibility features last month.
“Our goal is to make our entertainment content available for the deaf, hard of hearing and visually impaired through VOD (video on demand) and live content in the next 12 to 18 months. He added that all of Hotstar’s original programming will have subtitles and audio description tracks – although such features for studio-licensed content are controversial at best on streaming platforms.
This is an excellent move, said Alok Kejriwal, founder and chief executive of India Signing Hands, a charity organization dedicated to the promotion of equal opportunities for deaf people. “I’m sure many more deaf and visually impaired people will be able to access the exciting world of cricket,” he said.
