Why 'Cricinfo' Trended in India: Rebrand, Ownership and the September 2026 Search Spike

When you typed Cricinfo into Google on 18 September 2026, you were not alone. The term appeared on Google Trends’ India “Trending now” list with roughly 10 000 searches in the last 24 hours and a 500 % increase over the previous day. The spike reflects the fact that fans were looking for live coverage of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026 and were also curious about the site’s recent name change.

What is Cricinfo?

Cricinfo is a dedicated cricket news website that offers live match coverage, scorecards, articles and the StatsGuru database that spans centuries of cricket data. The site is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, and is available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada. Wikipedia lists Sambit Bal as the Editor‑in‑Chief.

From a Bot to India’s Cricket Scoreboard

The platform began as a computer bot in 1993, created by British researcher Simon King to share cricket information through Usenet, e‑mail and IRC. It launched on 15 March 1993 and later became the official live‑score site for the 1996 Cricket World Cup. The volunteer‑built archive of scorecards evolved into the StatsGuru database that users still consult today.

Ownership Timeline

• 2003 – Wisden Group acquired a majority stake.
• 2007 – ESPN (jointly owned by The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications) bought the site and renamed it ESPNcricinfo.
• November 2024 – Disney India’s assets merged with Viacom18 (owned by Reliance Industries), bringing Cricinfo into the newly formed JioStar group.
• June 2026 – The ESPN branding was dropped and the site was renamed simply Cricinfo.

Why the Rebrand Matters

The June 2026 announcement was a return to the original name rather than a new website. The content, live‑blogging style and StatsGuru database remain unchanged. What is new is the corporate umbrella: Cricinfo now sits alongside Star Sports and the former Hotstar streaming business under JioStar, which is a joint venture between Disney and Reliance’s Viacom18.

What the Search Spike Means for Readers

For everyday users, the main change is the name on the address bar. The same URLs, articles, live scores and historical archives are still accessible. The rebrand simply reflects the site’s heritage and its current corporate home. If you see “Cricinfo” instead of “ESPNcricinfo”, you are still on the same trusted cricket authority.

Sources: Wikipedia – Cricinfo; Google Trends India.