Cricket, the sport of kings from the subcontinent, has seen an exponential rise in viewership and popularity since it’s first inclusion in the Olympic games as a demonstration sport. Just like that, a once obscure game with no coverage outside of its native country has become one of the most watched sporting events in the world. This article explores how this change happened and what implications it has for its players and lovers alike.
2018 World Cup Preview
The 2018 World Cup is officially underway, with the first game of the tournament going on between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The word cup has been dominated by European teams since it’s inception in 1930. In fact, no Asian or African country has ever won a match at the FIFA World Cup. But this year, there will be change as an Asian team for the first time will win their first match in history against Croatia
How Does the ICC Rank Teams?
The International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings are based on a country’s performance during ICC tournaments. The top 12 teams in the world are granted automatic qualification to the World Cup while the other teams fight it out for the remaining places. According to sports website, ESPNcricinfo, the ICC ranks countries based on how many runs they score and concede in the previous year’s tournament.
How to Watch a World Cup on TV
The World Cup is one of the most watched sporting events. Millions of people from all around the world tune in to watch their favorite soccer team play. What would happen if you could enjoy a World Cup without waiting for the games to air? Thanks to streaming websites like YouTube and Netflix, it’s now possible.
How to Watch a World Cup Online
If you are not in a country that is broadcasting the World Cup, or if you just don’t want to watch it on TV, you can still catch up with all the action. You just need a way to stream matches online. Here are some of your best options. Here is the list of The Most Runs in the ICC Tournaments:
| Player | Span | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 |
| SR Tendulkar (INDIA) | 1992-2011 | 45 | 44 | 4 | 2278 | 152 | 56.95 | 2560 | 88.98 | 6 |
| RT Ponting (AUS) | 1996-2011 | 46 | 42 | 4 | 1743 | 140* | 45.86 | 2180 | 79.95 | 5 |
| KC Sangakkara (SL) | 2003-2015 | 37 | 35 | 8 | 1532 | 124 | 56.74 | 1770 | 86.55 | 5 |
| BC Lara (WI) | 1992-2007 | 34 | 33 | 4 | 1225 | 116 | 42.24 | 1420 | 86.26 | 2 |
| AB de Villiers (SA) | 2007-2015 | 23 | 22 | 3 | 1207 | 162* | 63.52 | 1029 | 117.29 | 4 |
| CH Gayle (WI) | 2003-2019 | 35 | 34 | 1 | 1186 | 215 | 35.93 | 1310 | 90.53 | 2 |
| ST Jayasuriya (SL) | 1992-2007 | 38 | 37 | 3 | 1165 | 120 | 34.26 | 1285 | 90.66 | 3 |
| JH Kallis (SA) | 1996-2011 | 36 | 32 | 7 | 1148 | 128* | 45.92 | 1543 | 74.4 | 1 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 2007-2019 | 29 | 29 | 4 | 1146 | 124* | 45.84 | 1393 | 82.26 | 2 |
| TM Dilshan (SL) | 2007-2015 | 27 | 25 | 4 | 1112 | 161* | 52.95 | 1196 | 92.97 | 4 |
| DPMD Jayawardene (SL) | 1999-2015 | 40 | 34 | 3 | 1100 | 115* | 35.48 | 1280 | 85.93 | 4 |
| AC Gilchrist (AUS) | 1999-2007 | 31 | 31 | 1 | 1085 | 149 | 36.16 | 1107 | 98.01 | 1 |
| Javed Miandad (PAK) | 1975-1996 | 33 | 30 | 5 | 1083 | 103 | 43.32 | 1592 | 68.02 | 1 |
| SP Fleming (NZ) | 1996-2007 | 33 | 33 | 3 | 1075 | 134* | 35.83 | 1398 | 76.89 | 2 |
| HH Gibbs (SA) | 1999-2007 | 25 | 23 | 4 | 1067 | 143 | 56.15 | 1221 | 87.38 | 2 |
| PA de Silva (SL) | 1987-2003 | 35 | 32 | 3 | 1064 | 145 | 36.68 | 1229 | 86.57 | 2 |
| V Kohli (INDIA) | 2011-2019 | 26 | 26 | 4 | 1030 | 107 | 46.81 | 1188 | 86.7 | 2 |
| IVA Richards (WI) | 1975-1987 | 23 | 21 | 5 | 1013 | 181 | 63.31 | 1191 | 85.05 | 3 |
| SC Ganguly (INDIA) | 1999-2007 | 21 | 21 | 3 | 1006 | 183 | 55.88 | 1298 | 77.5 | 4 |
| ME Waugh (AUS) | 1992-1999 | 22 | 22 | 3 | 1004 | 130 | 52.84 | 1199 | 83.73 | 4 |
| LRPL Taylor (NZ) | 2007-2019 | 33 | 30 | 3 | 1002 | 131* | 37.11 | 1354 | 74 | 1 |
How to Watch the 2018 World Cup Online for Free
People around the world are eagerly awaiting the 2018 World Cup and unfortunately, some people might be interested in watching the games for free. Luckily, there are many different ways to watch this huge event for free. You can watch it through your computer or mobile device by signing up with a TV provider that offers online viewing through their subscription service. Or you can simply watch it with friends on your streaming devices like Roku or Amazon Fire Stick.
Conclusion
The 2018 World Cup has been an exciting event in which many amazing things have happened. There is still a lot more to come before the end of the tournament and it will be interesting to see what comes out of this.
