World stops turning for 1/5 of Earth’s population

OK, it's official. Almost 20% of the world's population has downed tools and tuned in TV sets. A hush has fallen over many parts of the world – and yet for the countries unaffected by this latest interruption to business, there is absolutely no sign that anything is going on. OK, that's weird. KitGuru dons the pads and heads to the crease.

It's not often that media companies put ‘rights issues' to one side and come to stand together – arm in arm – but the Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan has created exactly that spirit.

The Indian sub-continent has come to a standstill and the effects are being felt across the globe as communities gather around whatever piece of HD broadcasting technology they can get their hands on – just to watch this match.

The match is in the process of setting some significant records, including:-

• Biggest ever viewing figures for a cricket match
• Biggest in-programme advertising rates ever seenfor the sub-continent
• Most expensive match day tickets ever for a cricket match
• Most applications ever to be in the LG-sponsored cheer-leading squad (over 50,000 applicants)
• The match has brought together the Prime Ministers of both countries for peace talks

If you have any interest in watching this spectical, try these streaming links. If they don't work – post some more below!

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Think this story is not about technology? OK. No problem. Here's a tech-fact for you. If Apple produced 50 million iPads a year, then it would take them about 30 years to supply one each to the ‘interested audience' for this semi-final. Stunning.

KitGuru says: We don't really get it with Cricket. We really don't. But plenty of you do!

Comments below or in the KitGuru forum.

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