How to Watch the Cricket World Cup Live Online
As suspended Australian players Steve Smith and David Warner make their return to the international cricket pitch for the first time since the ball-tampering scandal last March, so things are hotting up in the run-up to the Cricket World Cup. The action will take place in the UK so those cricket fans out there who won’t be soaking up the unexpected British summer sun (or soaking in the more typical summer rain), how to watch the cricket world cup overseas will be at the forefront of your mind right now.
While there are various broadcasters around the world with as keen an interest in the ICC Cricket World Cup as you, a VPN is probably the simplest and most effective way of making sure you see the consequences of every yorker, googly and full toss in this tournament of international cricket.
Where and When is the ICC Cricket World Cup?
With Britain hosting the event, the first match is scheduled to commence at 11 am EST on Thursday 30th May at the Oval in London. The first teams showing their mettle on English soil will be the home-grown Brits who’ll be hoping to secure an early victory over the South Africans. Get a VPN and get access to all the live action, from the very first ball.
Where to Watch the Cricket World Cup Overseas
Serious cricket fans probably signed up with Willow TV months ago but, for those of you not familiar with this streaming service, it’s got nothing to do with the 1988 movie of the same name. Rather, Willow TV got its name from the wood that cricket bats are made from and is dedicated to bringing Americans action from all the major cricketing leagues around the world.
Unlike cricket bats, there’s nothing lightweight about Willow TV, however, and their dedication to the game goes far beyond the call of duty, and subscribers will get a lot more than just the Cricket World Cup. Willow TV has a busy year ahead and will be showing live action from Pakistan’s upcoming tour of the UK before moving onto focus on ICC Cricket World Cup when it starts later this month.
Willow TV is available as a stand-alone streaming service which, at $9.99 per month, isn’t exactly cheap, but who can put a price on top-quality coverage of a sport that Prince Phillip once pointed out is much more than “just another game”? Certain OTT services also include Willow TV as part of a package so, if you’ve got a subscription with Sling TV, for instance, you’re in luck. If not, you could always sign up for a free seven-day trial and find out exactly what you’ve been missing.
How to Watch the Cricket World Cup with a VPN
While Willow TV makes sense for those who are truly passionate about cricket, for others who find test matches tedious and national club cricket a bore, it’s not really worth the investment. A VPN will cost you around the same as a Willow TV subscription but gives you so much more. Using a VPN, you could watch the Cricket World Cup overseas on Hotstar, for example, but for a lot less than a month with Willow TV would cost you. Not only that, but a VPN would also give you access to other live sporting events that may not be available in your region.
Hotstar is an Indian streaming channel which provides live coverage of the Indian Premier League as well as the cricket world cup. To access live coverage, you need both a reliable VPN that can provide an Indian IP address and a subscription. Fortunately, with Hotstar subscriptions being priced in Indian rupees makes them surprisingly affordable and you can sign up for a premium package for just over $5 per year, while the superior VIP package will give you access to blockbusters from both Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters, as well as all the cricket world cup action for an annual payment of just under $15.
As a VPN can mask your location by hiding your IP address behind the IP address of one of their secure servers, it gives you the capacity to travel the world in virtual reality. Pop over to Japan for the Rugby World Cup, catch the final of the FA Cup in the UK, or head over to France for the famous cycle race, the Tour de France. A VPN gives you wings, especially if you opt for one with tight security, a comprehensive no-logging policy, high-speed connections and vast global network of servers.
We’ve researched all the available VPN providers out there and come up with the top four that will mean you can watch the cricket world cup overseas, and any other live sporting events that might catch your fancy.
Top 4 VPNs for Live Streaming the Cricket World Cup
#1: ExpressVPN – Big Hitter
Like India’s star-studded team of exciting players, ExpressVPN’s service is strewn with impressive features and inspiring performances. Not only can ExpressVPN provide connections faster than even India’s fastest bowler, Umesh Yadav, it’s also more secure than the hands of Ravindra Jadeja, one of India’s finest fielders. ExpressVPN uses military-grade encryption to safeguard your data, while their strict policy of no logging makes for a perfectly private online experience.
ExpressVPN prides itself on being as transparent as possible so its users know exactly who and what it is and what it does and doesn’t do. What it does do is encrypt your data, give you a fake IP address in any of its 160 global locations, and give you serious security every time you venture into cyberspace. What it doesn’t do is log where you go or what you do online, share your personal data with third parties, or expose your DNS activity.
With a wide variety of apps available, ExpressVPN is compatible with every imaginable device, from Android to Xbox, Amazon Fire TV to Windows. A graphic interface makes operating this advanced piece of software surprisingly easy and the price won’t leave you dramatically out of pocket either, especially not if you commit to a long-term subscription.
ExpressVPN is the ultimate cybersecurity solution, giving you complete peace of mind, as well as the freedom to access live sporting events from all over the world. Make sure you get to watch all the cricket world cup action by signing up today – they’re offering 3 months free (49% savings) on their annual subscription plan and you can find out more here.
#2: Surfshark VPN – Fierce competition
Just as New Zealand will be hoping to knock India off its number one ICC perch, Surfshark has been nipping at ExpressVPN’s heels since it launched itself out of the water in 2017. Despite being small fry compared to ExpressVPN, Surfshark is managing to make quite a name for itself as a fast and reliable VPN. Whereas other VPN big-hitters like CyberGhost and NordVPN have thousands of servers, Surfshark operates on just over 800 but clearly used some shark cunning when it decided where to position each of those servers for maximum effect.
Although its interface is rather minimalist, it’s slick and user-friendly. Whereas most VPNs have a limit on the number of devices you can connect at any one time, Surfshark VPN provides online security for an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. This makes it extremely cost-effective for those sharing a work or home space with lots of people and devices.
Just as New Zealand’s top batsman, Kane Williamson, knows which balls to hit to the boundary and which to leave well alone, so Surfshark VPN uses split tunneling. This allows safe traffic to bypass the VPN, giving the user both security and faster speeds.
It may not have the longevity of ExpressVPN, but Surfshark is proving itself to be a serious contender in the world of cybersecurity and is well worth taking a closer look at, so why not read our in-depth review before deciding if this is fish you should be frying or whether something bigger would suit you better.
#3: CyberGhostVPN – Eerily effective
Third in our best VPNs for live streaming the Cricket World Cup is the spirited service from CyberGhost VPN, designed to give the most technologically challenged access to superior cybersecurity. Unlike the ICC’s number three, South Africa, CyberGhost doesn’t have any injury issues, effectively navigating geographical restrictions and giving fast, seamless access all over the world.
CyberGhost VPN may be third in line but it has one of the biggest server networks, with over 3,500 CyberGhost-managed and maintained servers around the world. Not only does CyberGhost offer global reach, but it also achieves impressive speeds and offers the same standard of security as the likes of ExpressVPN. Watching the Cricket World Cup overseas with CyberGhost VPN couldn’t be simpler and its intuitive interface makes live streaming quick and easy.
Just as South Africa’s cricket team has struggled with allegations of match-fixing in the past, so CyberGhost VPN has had to take a close look at its logging policies. These days, CyberGhost’s no-logging policy is as secure as they come, while its location in Romania means it’s outside the prying eyes of the intelligence-sharing alliances of the five and 14 eyes. It even publishes transparency reports on a yearly basis to prove its commitment to user privacy and security.
CyberGhost has a range of apps available meaning it’s compatible with most major operating systems. Its apps are also extremely lightweight and pretty much install themselves with little user involvement required. Similarly, most of CyberGhost’s protection is automatic, although users can customize various features to make it suit their own specific needs.
While not as fast or as versatile as ExpressVPN, CyberGhost offers a solid solution to the problem of online security, while giving users the choice of 20 different servers in India alone, making it a great option for live streaming the Cricket World cup overseas on Hotstar. Find out more here.
#4: NordVPN – Safe hands
The fourth team in the ICC rankings is none other than England itself and, of course, the Brits will be hoping to make the most of their home advantage. Like the English cricket team, NordVPN is known for its impressive security. Just as Ben Stokes is as good at protecting the boundary as he is the wicket, NordVPN will give any cybercriminal the slip with its top-class encryption and watertight security protocols.
Catches win you matches and NordVPN guarantees it will catch anyone attempting to intercept your traffic. Not only does NordVPN offer AES-256 encryption, but it also has Double VPN and Onion over VPN options available for those who want another layer of protection.
Although NordVPN only just manages to sneak into the top four VPNs for watching the Cricket World Cup live, it has probably the biggest network of servers of any VPN, with well over 5,000 different servers to choose from. This enormous distribution of servers means you connect to and from almost anywhere in the world so you could watch the Cricket World Cup overseas on Hotstar or even Sky Sports if you wanted to.
Despite its impressive network of servers, NordVPN sometimes struggles to produce speeds comparable to the lightning fast ones the likes of ExpressVPN and Surfshark consistently produce. Nevertheless, its speeds are more than workable and NordVPN rarely lets the side down when it comes to negotiating its way through either the Chinese censors or the geographical restrictions protecting Netflix’s US-only library.
Ideal for jet-setters and business travelers alike, NordVPN gives excellent security and online protection and consistent connections, while offering a range of additional features. Perhaps not as fast as Surfshark or as user-friendly as CyberGhost, NordVPN still has a lot to offer. Find out more by reading our full review or just step up to the crease and sign up with NordVPN today.
Bottom line
Although various US networks and OTT streaming services offer live coverage of international sporting events like the Cricket World Cup, it’s not always the same one. For instance, ESPN is a great service for those wanting to live stream the FA Cup final, but it doesn’t offer much cricket. This means many sports enthusiasts end up shelling out for several different subscriptions. A VPN is one of the best ways of avoiding this, enabling you to access content all over the world regardless of regional restrictions.
The best VPNs for streaming live sports are not only nimble enough that they can vault under, over and around geographical restrictions, but also have international coverage, top-class encryption, high speeds, and cross-platform compatibility. Whether you decide to back a seasoned professional like ExpressVPN, or a lesser-known option like Surfshark VPN, you’ll be able to watch the Cricket World Cup overseas, and a host of other international sporting events.
With experts predicting reigning champions, Australia, being kicked out in the semi-final and placing their money on Afghanistan to cause a ruckus in the final stages, this year’s international cricket championships isn’t to be missed. Now you know how to watch the cricket world cup overseas using a VPN, you’ll be able to watch as the final ball is bowled and see who really is the cricketing champion of the world.
For the fastest connection and one of the biggest networks in the world with superior encryption, get Express VPN to catch every play.
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