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Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, especially in countries like India, Pakistan, Australia and England.

With the increasing demand for watching sporting events online, several apps have emerged to stream cricket matches for free or with limited functionality at no cost.

In this article, we'll explore three of the top apps that let you watch cricket for free, detailing their features and which platforms they're available for download on.

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1. Hotstar

Hotstar, now renamed to Disney+ Hotstar, is one of the most popular apps for watching cricket, especially in India.

The platform streams multiple sports, including cricket's Indian Premier League (IPL), which is one of the most-watched leagues in the world.

Functionalities:

  • Live streaming of sporting events: Hotstar offers a high-quality streaming experience for live cricket matches, including championships like the IPL, Cricket World Cup, and international series.
  • Content on demand: In addition to live broadcasts, Hotstar allows you to watch replays and highlights of matches.
  • Free and premium content: While many games are available for free (with a slight delay in live streaming for non-subscribed users), premium content offers real-time, ad-free streaming.

Available Platforms:

  • android: Available at Google Play Store.
  • iOS: Available at Apple App Store.
  • Browsers: Accessible via web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.).
  • Smart TVs: Several smart TVs offer the native app for Hotstar.

2. SonyLIV

Another highly popular app in India and other countries in the subcontinent is SonyLIV.

Sony has the broadcast rights to many international sporting events, including cricket matches.

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SonyLIV allows users to watch major cricket tournaments live, as well as other entertainment content like series and movies.

Functionalities:

  • Live Cricket: The platform offers live streaming of championships such as the Cricket World Cup, Cricket Champions League, and various international series.
  • Highlights and replays: Users can watch highlights of matches, as well as full replays.
  • Free content: SonyLIV has a free section that offers live streaming of cricket matches with a slight delay. To watch premium content in real-time and without interruptions, you need to subscribe to the service.

Available Platforms:

3. Cricbuzz

O Cricbuzz is one of the most recognized platforms when it comes to cricket coverage.

While it doesn't offer live video streaming like Hotstar or SonyLIV, the app is ideal for those who want to follow matches in real-time through score updates, live text commentary, and in-depth analysis.

Functionalities:

  • Live Score Updates: Cricbuzz provides instant updates on scores of ongoing cricket matches with a simple and informative interface.
  • Full coverage: In addition to live updates, Cricbuzz offers in-depth analysis, match highlights, player interviews and post-match coverage.
  • Free content: All Cricbuzz features are available for free. Although it does not broadcast live games on video, its written coverage is of high quality and quite comprehensive.

Available Platforms:

Advantages and Limitations of Applications

These three apps are excellent examples of how you can follow cricket for free or with affordable paid plans.

However, it is important to highlight that there are some limitations:

  • Advertising: Apps like Hotstar and SonyLIV include ads in their free streams, which can interrupt the live streaming experience.
  • Transmission delay: Both Hotstar and SonyLIV offer free live streaming with a delay of around 5 to 10 minutes from the live matches, which can be frustrating for those who want to watch every play in sync with the official broadcast.
  • Geolocation: Some content may only be available in certain regions. For example, Hotstar offers more comprehensive coverage in India than in other countries.

Conclusion

With the growing interest in cricket and increasing consumption of streaming content, apps like Hotstar, SonyLIV and Cricbuzz are playing an important role in making the sport accessible to a global audience.

Although each application has its own advantages and disadvantages, they all offer effective and accessible ways for cricket fans to follow their favorite matches, be it through live streams, real-time updates or in-depth analysis.

If you are looking for a way to watch cricket for free, these apps are worth exploring and taking advantage of the features they offer.

For those looking for a more premium and uninterrupted experience, paid versions can also be considered, especially for major sporting events.