Where to Watch Cricket in India in 2026: Free and Cheap Options

Every cricket season the same question comes up: where can you actually watch the matches without overpaying? In India, the answer depends on what you want, and there are genuine ways to watch cricket in India for free or on the cheap.

Broadcast rights are split between free-to-air TV, one big streaming app, and budget telecom bundles, so there’s an option for every wallet.

Below we break it down by what you actually need, from the best free and cheap ways to watch cricket in India to full premium access for the whole season.

Whether you want zero cost or the complete experience, there’s a route here that fits you.

Read to the end to find the option that suits you best, then start watching today!

Cricket rights in India are sold in separate packages, one for television, another for streaming, and they change every few years. That is why no single service shows everything, and why the smart move is to match the option to the exact cricket you want to watch. Let’s go through each route.

Want to Watch Cricket in India for Free?

Yes, it is possible, and completely legally. Under India’s mandatory sharing rules, live feeds of cricket matches considered to be of “national importance” must be shared with the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati. In practice, that means India’s own matches, plus the semi-finals and final of big ICC tournaments, are shown free-to-air on DD Sports.

100% Free

DD Sports & the WAVES app

DD Sports is Doordarshan’s free sports channel. During the T20 World Cup 2026, for example, every India match plus the knockouts were available free on DD Sports. There is one important catch: by law this free feed is limited to DD Free Dish (Doordarshan’s free satellite service, which needs only a one-time set-top box and dish) and terrestrial viewers, not private cable or DTH.

Prefer to watch on your phone? Prasar Bharati’s own streaming app, WAVES, carries DD channels including DD Sports, and most of its content is free. It’s the easiest way to catch those free matches on mobile.

• India’s matches and ICC-event knockouts, free-to-air
• DD Free Dish needs only a one-time dish and box, no monthly fee
• WAVES streams DD Sports free on Android, iOS and smart TVs

Stream DD Sports free on WAVES

Heads up: the free route covers India’s games and the big-tournament knockouts, but not everything. The IPL and most bilateral series are not on DD Sports, so for full coverage you’ll want one of the paid options below.

Want the Cheapest Full Access? JioHotstar & Telecom Bundles

If you want almost every match, IPL included, streaming is the way to go. In India that means JioHotstar (the platform formed by merging Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema), which holds the digital rights to the IPL, ICC events, and India’s international cricket.

Low cost

JioHotstar

JioHotstar plans start at around ₹79/month for the entry-level Mobile tier, currently one of the cheapest streaming entry points in India. Higher Super and Premium tiers add more screens, Full HD or 4K, and extra content. All of them give you live cricket.

The clever way to save is to let your phone plan pay for it. Jio, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL all sell recharges that bundle JioHotstar access for free, and Jio even runs cricket-focused data packs (for example, packs around ₹195 that add data plus a JioHotstar Mobile subscription). Check the MyJio or your operator’s app before buying a separate subscription, you may already qualify.

• Streams the IPL, ICC events and India’s international series
• Plans from about ₹79/month; annual plans cost less per month
• Often included free with Jio, Airtel, Vi or BSNL recharges
• Watch on mobile, tablet, laptop and smart TV

See JioHotstar plans

Note: the free IPL streaming that JioCinema offered in 2023 and 2024 has ended. The IPL now needs a paid JioHotstar plan, a telecom recharge that includes it, or Star Sports on TV.

Prefer TV? Star Sports on Cable and DTH

If you’d rather watch on the big screen, the Star Sports network is the official TV broadcaster for the IPL, ICC events, and India’s international cricket. Matches air across Star Sports 1 and its Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada feeds, plus the HD channels.

You just need those channels in your TV pack. They’re carried by all the major DTH and cable providers, including Tata Play, Airtel Digital TV, Dish TV and Sun Direct (D2H). Check whether your current plan already includes the Star Sports pack, and add it if it doesn’t.

Just Want to Follow the Score or Listen?

Not everyone wants to watch all 90-plus overs. If you only need to keep up while working, commuting or saving data, free score-and-commentary apps like Cricbuzz and ESPNcricinfo give you ball-by-ball text, live scores, and lineups, both are free on the App Store and Google Play.

For audio, look for your favourite radio station’s live cricket commentary, which is often simulcast on YouTube during big matches. And for highlights, the JioHotstar and Star Sports YouTube channels usually post key moments and post-match clips soon after play.

Travelling Abroad? Your Subscription May Not Work

JioHotstar is licensed for India, and it detects your location by IP address. If you travel outside the country, the app may block live cricket even though your account is fully paid.

The usual workaround is a VPN, software that makes your device appear to be back in India. In honesty, though, using a VPN to get around geo-restrictions generally goes against a streaming service’s terms of use, even though many travellers do it. The risk for occasional personal use is low, but it exists, so check the platform’s policy and decide for yourself before paying for a VPN just for this.

Quick Comparison: Which Option Is Right for You?

Smart Tips to Watch More for Less

• For India’s marquee matches, try DD Free Dish or the WAVES app before paying anything.
• Check MyJio or your operator’s app, a recharge you already need may include JioHotstar.
• Pick a Jio cricket data pack to get streaming plus data in one low-cost recharge.
• Choose an annual JioHotstar plan over monthly if you watch year-round, it’s cheaper per month.
• Share a Super or Premium plan across the allowed screens with family to split the cost.
• Avoid unofficial “free” streaming sites, they’re illegal, unsafe, and often full of malware.

Questions That Always Come Up

Conclusion

Watching cricket in India doesn’t have to be confusing or expensive. If you mainly care about India’s big matches, DD Sports and the free WAVES app can cover you for nothing. If you want it all, IPL included, JioHotstar is the one app that brings the whole season together, and a smart telecom recharge can get you there for very little.

Whichever route you pick, sort it out before the first ball so you never miss a moment. Download JioHotstar below and get ready for the action.