Cricket
The casual observer may feel that cricket is of little interest to Europeans but they would be wrong. The game is growing across the continent with more countries being recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Elite Group
The Netherlands have been part of the ICC family for some time and the men in orange have made some memorable appearances at one day tournaments. We also have the UK where many feel that the game began while neighbouring Ireland have recently been added to the list of test playing countries.
The family is getting bigger and to recognise that point, Unibet are providing a comprehensive cricket betting sportsbook plus live streaming so you never have to miss out on the best of the action.
Along with Afghanistan, Ireland joined the list of full ICC members and were granted test status in 2018. This brought the list of full member nations up to 12 with England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies and Zimbabwe completing the list.
Behind the schedule of test playing nations are the associate ICC members. These represent countries where cricket is popular and organised but it hasn’t quite reached the stage where full member status is appropriate. There are currently 92 member nations and they include European representatives in the shape of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Russia and more.
All of those sides have possible routes into the major ICC tournaments including the World Cup in both of its formats. Unibet have sports betting markets for the bigger matches and live streaming will come in for those major competitions. Moving back to the full ICC members, there is much wider coverage for individual test matches, ODIs and T20is.
The Big Clashes
The very first test match took place in Melbourne back in March 1877. Australia hosted England and this historic rivalry forms part of cricket’s greatest showpiece in the present day. The teams now play for The Ashes - a small urn said to contain the ashes of a bail that was burned following an embarrassing defeat for the English.
There are no fixed dates for an Ashes series but in general, the teams will play each other every two years. Hosting duties will alternate between England and Australia and this is a time when viewing figures and betting markets are at a peak.
Test cricket isn’t all about two sides and the remaining nations provide a feast of entertainment. The newly formed test championship was led in its early stages by a powerful Indian team who are frequently challenging the top of the world rankings.
Test cricket remains the pinnacle of the sport for many cricket fans and Unibet TV makes sure that they are supported by comprehensive live streamed games.
Limited Overs Tournaments
All of the full member sides, along with a selection of associate nations, play high level limited overs cricket. In the modern day, there are two distinct formats - ODIs and T20is - which are based on 50 overs a side and 20 overs a side respectively.
Limited overs series are frequently added on to the end of test tours but the ultimate goal for all nations is to qualify for the respective World Cups. The 50 over World Cup has been in place since 1975 and Australia are currently the most successful side in its history. England are the reigning champions having beaten New Zealand in 2019 in one of the most dramatic ODI matches ever.
The Twenty20 format is a recent addition and was first played as a domestic competition in England in 2003. The World Cup came along in 2007 and the next edition is due in 2021. With two victories to date, the West Indies are currently the most successful T20 international side.
T20 attracts the biggest audience among cricket fans and it’s also a big draw for the betting community. Whether it’s a World Cup final or simply an international between two top sides, Unibet TV are set to live stream the best of the action to your desktop, laptop or mobile device.
Global T20 Competitions
England may have introduced the first T20 competition but, for the biggest club tournament in the world, we have to head to India. The Indian Premier League was incepted in 2008 and it quickly became the most prestigious competition for cricket’s shortest form.
Large salaries attracted the best players from all over the world and the IPL remains the biggest global T20 tournament.
The IPL has competition from the Caribbean Premier League and Australia’s Big Bash while England still produces their own competition in the shape of the Blast. The T20 game is clearly in good shape and Unibet TV is standing by to live stream the best of the action.
Don’t miss out on the Entertainment
Unibet TV is on hand to capture all the drama on the cricket field. All formats of the game are streamed live and you can catch the action on PC, Laptop or mobile device.
Cricket has never been more popular and the betting community are taking advantage of a wider set of markets than ever before. Match Result, Total Runs, Top Batsman, Top Bowler and Most Sixes are among a host of bets available for the big matches. Consider your strategy and study form before placing a bet and you can see how your stake plays out with comprehensive live streaming from Unibet TV.
