Cricket is one of the most loved sports in the UK. Millions of people watch cricket matches on TV and online. You could only watch cricket on regular TV channels in the past. But now you can watch cricket matches live on the internet through streaming.
Streaming means watching TV shows or sports online on your phone, tablet, or computer. You need an internet connection to stream. This has become very popular because you can watch cricket anywhere – at home, at work, or even on the bus.
More and more cricket fans now prefer streaming because it’s easy and convenient. You don’t need to be stuck at home watching TV. You can watch your favorite cricket matches wherever you are.
Official Cricket Broadcasting Partners in the UK
These are the main TV companies that have official rights to show cricket in the UK.
1. Sky Sports Cricket
Sky Sports is the biggest cricket broadcaster in the UK. They show almost all cricket matches. This includes:
- England team matches
- IPL
- Australian cricket
- South African cricket
- Many other international matches
You need to pay for a subscription to watch Sky Sports cricket. This costs about £22 per month. You get access to multiple Sky Sports channels.
2. BBC Sport
The BBC is free to watch. It shows short video highlights and provides live audio coverage of big cricket events until 2027. This includes the Men’s and Women’s Cricket World Cups, T20 World Cups, Champions Trophy, and the Men’s Ashes happening later this year.
3. TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport)
TNT Sports brings you some specific cricket series, such as India vs Australia and more!
4. Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime sometimes shows cricket matches. This is not very common, but they occasionally get rights to show special matches or tournaments. Amazon Prime costs £8.99 per month.
Popular Legal Cricket Streaming Platforms in the UK
These are the apps and websites where you can legally watch cricket online. Each platform has different features and costs, so it’s important to understand what each one offers.
1. Sky Go and Sky Sports App
If you already pay for Sky Sports on TV, you can also watch on your phone or computer using the Sky Go app or Sky Sports app. Both apps are free with your Sky TV subscription. These apps let you watch the same cricket matches you get on TV, but on mobile devices.
2. BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer is completely free and lets you watch cricket highlights, live matches that BBC shows, old cricket documentaries, and cricket news and analysis. You need a TV licence to use BBC iPlayer legally, but most UK homes already have this. The service works on phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs.
3. Discovery+
Discovery+ has some sports content, but not much live cricket. It costs about £3.99 per month but isn’t the best choice if you mainly want cricket. Their sports coverage focuses more on other sports like tennis, motorsports, and cycling.
4. Now TV
Now TV is owned by Sky and offers flexible options without long contracts. Sports membership starts from £14.99. This option is good if you only want to watch cricket occasionally. It’s perfect for big matches or tournaments when you don’t want to commit to a full subscription.
Free vs. Paid Streaming Options
Free options have limitations, while paid services offer much more cricket coverage.
1. Free Legal Options
Your free options in the UK are quite limited. BBC iPlayer provides highlights and some live matches, while the BBC Sport website offers live text updates and clips during matches. You can also listen to radio commentary on BBC Radio. This covers many matches with expert commentators describing all the action.
The main problem with free options is that you miss most live matches. You only get highlights and a few special games throughout the year. For casual viewers, this might be enough. But serious cricket fans will find it frustrating.
2. Premium Subscription Benefits
When you pay for cricket streaming, you get access to live coverage of almost every match with multiple camera angles and expert commentary. You also get replays and slow-motion footage, detailed statistics and player information. And no advertisements during play. The picture quality is usually much better than free services.
Premium services also offer extra features like player interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and analysis shows before and after matches. Some services let you choose different commentary teams or watch matches from different camera angles.
3. Family and Student Discounts
Sky often offers family packages that cost less per person when multiple people in the same household want to watch. Some providers offer student discounts, usually 10-20% off the regular price. Now TV sometimes has special offers for new customers. It’s worth checking for current promotions before signing up for any service.
International Cricket Coverage in the UK
Different types of cricket matches are shown on different channels and streaming services. Here’s where you can find specific tournaments, England matches, and domestic cricket competitions.
1. ICC Tournaments and World Cup
The Cricket World Cup and other big international tournaments are usually shown across different channels depending on who wins the broadcasting rights. Sky Sports typically shows most tournaments, while BBC sometimes gets rights to show some World Cup matches for free. TNT Sports occasionally picks up broadcasting rights for certain tournaments.
World Cup matches are the most expensive broadcasting rights, so different channels compete and bid heavily for them. This means the coverage can change from tournament to tournament.
2. England National Team Matches
Sky Sports shows most home and away matches, including tours to countries like Australia, India, and South Africa. BBC shows some home matches, especially against big teams like Australia and India during the summer. TNT Sports sometimes covers certain away tours that other channels don’t have rights to show.
The split in coverage means that to watch all England matches, you might need more than one streaming service or TV channel subscription.
3. County Championship and Domestic Competitions
English county cricket is mainly shown on Sky Sports. This includes the County Championship, which is the main English cricket league, along with the One-Day Cup and other domestic competitions. BBC sometimes shows highlights of county finals and important matches, but Sky Sports has the most comprehensive coverage of English domestic cricket.
If you’re interested in following your local county team throughout the season, Sky Sports is almost essential.
4. The Hundred and T20 Blast Coverage
The Hundred is a newer, shorter format of cricket that was created to attract new fans. It’s shown on both Sky Sports for live matches and BBC for some matches that are available for free. This split coverage was designed to make cricket more accessible to people who don’t have paid subscriptions.
The T20 Blast, which is county-level T20 cricket, is mainly shown on Sky Sports. These matches are popular because they’re shorter and more exciting than traditional cricket formats.
Conclusion: Live Stream Your Favorite Cricket Match from UK
After reading about all these options, you might feel overwhelmed by the choices available. However, you should know that Sky Sports subscription gives you the most cricket matches and best coverage.
Cricket streaming will likely grow more popular. More matches might become available online. Prices may become more competitive as different companies fight for customers. So start watching today!
FAQs
Your options are limited. BBC iPlayer shows highlights and some live matches for free. You need a TV licence to use BBC iPlayer legally.
Sky Sports shows the most cricket matches in the UK. They have rights to most international cricket and domestic English cricket.
All major streaming services have mobile apps. Sky Go, BBC iPlayer, Now TV, and others work on phones and tablets.
You need a stable internet connection. For good quality video, you need at least 5 Mbps internet speed. For HD quality, you need 10 Mbps or more.
Most UK streaming services don’t work when you travel to other countries due to licensing rules. You would need a VPN service, but this might violate the streaming service’s terms and conditions.
