Best Cricket APIs in 2026

Cricket generates a lot of structured data across multiple different formats. Test matches, ODIs, T20 leagues produce scores, player stats, odds and match events that developers need access to. Tournaments like the IPL, T20 World Cup, Big Bash League, The Hundred and PSL drive seasonal traffic spikes. Without dedicated APIs, managing website and applications are not possible.

However, not all cricket APIs offer the same thing. Some go deep on ball-by-ball data while others focus on media content or bundle cricket into a broader multi-sport package. Pricing ranges from free tiers to enterprise contracts that require sales calls.

In this article, we review several providers and cover what each one does well and where it falls short.

Highlightly Cricket API

Highlightly is a sports data API that covers cricket alongside football, basketball, hockey and many other sports. Data is served through a REST interface in the JSON format.

Cricket matches include full batting scorecards (runs, balls faced, fours, sixes, strike rate per batsman), bowling figures (overs, economy, maidens, wickets, conceded runs), fall of wickets, and detailed partnership breakdowns showing each partner's individual contribution in runs and balls. Squad data comes with player roles, batting styles and bowling styles.

The API also provides AI match predictions. These include a prematch prediction generated before the game starts, followed by live predictions that update roughly every ten minutes as the match progresses. Each prediction returns win probabilities for both teams. This kind of data is useful for live dashboards, betting content or match trackers that want to show momentum shifts in real time.

On top of match data, the API returns best batsmen and best bowlers based on recent form, with season-level statistics like batting average, strike rate, economy, wickets and number of innings played. Head-to-head lookups and last five finished games per team are available for preview and comparison features.

Video highlights are aggregated from sources like YouTube, Twitter, Reddit and ESPN. Clips are labeled as verified or unverified depending on the source. Each entry includes a title, source, channel and embed URL. This is uncommon since most cricket APIs do not bundle media content.

Pre-match and live odds come from over 100+ bookmakers. Both markets and bookmakers are growing each day.

There is a free tier with 100 requests per day. Paid plans start at $6.99/month, with up to 40% off on longer subscriptions. The API runs on both the Highlightly platform and RapidAPI, but accounts are separate and custom plans are only on Highlightly.

The API is designed for small to mid-scale projects. If you need better data granularity, you will need an enterprise provider. But for apps that need scorecards, predictions, odds, highlights and player stats in one place, it covers a lot of ground without requiring multiple integrations.

Sportmonks Cricket API

Sportmonks is known mainly for its Football API. Cricket and Formula 1 are secondary products. The cricket API uses the same REST/JSON design as the rest of the platform.

It covers live scores, fixtures, batting and bowling scorecards, ball-by-ball commentary, player stats and standings. Developers can use the includes system to request only specific data fields per call. This keeps payloads small and helps with rate limits during live matches.

Documentation is solid. There are IPL integration guides, and the community has built wrapper packages for common languages. A free trial is available.

Cricket is not where Sportmonks puts most of its effort though. Football gets the bulk of features and league depth. Cricket plans are priced separately, and some data is locked behind higher tiers. There is no video or media content included. If you want highlights, you need another source.

It is a reasonable option if you need ball-by-ball scorecards, especially if you already use Sportmonks for football and want consistency across sports.

Roanuz Cricket API

Roanuz only does cricket. All development effort goes into one sport. The platform supports REST, GraphQL, Firebase, WebSocket and Webhook delivery, which gives developers more options for how they consume data.

It provides ball-by-ball live scores, tournament squads, fixtures, points tables and player/team statistics. The fantasy cricket features are worth noting since Roanuz offers ML powered player credits and performance points built specifically for fantasy app development.

There is also an analytics module for team vs. team and player vs. team comparisons, plus a chatbot feature built on historical cricket data. These are niche tools, but they show the kind of depth a single sport provider can reach.

Coverage includes IPL, ICC events, Big Bash, PSL, Ranji Trophy and other domestic competitions. The platform is used by fantasy gaming companies and sports apps in South Asia.

The downside is that it only covers cricket. Multi-sport projects need a second provider. Higher tier pricing is not public, and you will have to contact sales. No highlights or video content.

Roanuz makes sense for dedicated cricket products, especially fantasy platforms where the specialized features and protocol variety pay off.

CricketData (CricAPI)

CricketData has been around since 2015, originally under the CricAPI name. It focuses on affordable access to live scores, player stats and match data through a simple JSON API.

The service includes live scores, ball-by-ball updates, player stats, historical data and a fantasy cricket endpoint. Supplementary data like country flags, player lists and logos is bundled in. Integration is straightforward and works with any language.

The main draw is price. Plans start at $5.99/month, and the free tier has a large request allowance. For prototypes, student projects or personal apps, it is one of the cheapest ways to get cricket data.

The trade-offs are real though. Update speed and data depth lag behind premium options. There are no odds, no highlights and no media endpoints. Documentation is basic. The platform has also changed ownership and rebranded, which may matter if you care about long-term stability.

CricketData works for small projects and learning exercises where basic scores and stats are enough.

Sportradar Cricket API

Sportradar is one of the biggest sports data companies globally. Cricket is one of many sports in its catalogue. The API delivers live scores, match stats, player/team data, schedules and historical records in a structure consistent with its other sport APIs.

That consistency is useful if you already work with Sportradar for football or basketball. Adding cricket does not mean learning a new schema. The platform has official league partnerships, which means verified data sources. Betting operators and broadcasters value that kind of reliability.

However, the barrier is the access. There is no public pricing or self-service signup. You need a sales conversation and a custom contract. Onboarding takes time. The service is built for organizations with budgets and technical teams, not indie developers.

For large operations that need enterprise reliability across many sports, Sportradar is a known quantity. For smaller projects, it is not practical.

Data Sports Group

Data Sports Group is a B2B provider that covers cricket alongside other sports. The API delivers ball-by-ball commentary, live scorecards and settlement data in JSON and XML.

Coverage includes IPL, ICC World Cup, Big Bash, CPL, PSL and domestic leagues like the Sheffield Shield. The platform reports 600+ teams, 10,000+ players and 16,000+ matches across 100+ competitions.

The settlement data is the standout. It is designed for betting platforms that need to verify match outcomes for payouts. The ball-by-ball feed supports this too since betting products often need play-level detail.

Pricing is not public. The service is oriented toward businesses, not individual developers. No highlights or media content. Onboarding is geared toward commercial partnerships.

Data Sports Group fits betting operators and B2B platforms that need settlement-grade cricket data. It is not built for indie developers or small teams.

Conclusion

The right cricket API depends on what you are building and what you can spend. No single provider covers everything equally.

Highlightly covers scorecards, AI predictions, odds and video highlights in a single API at a low entry point. That combination is uncommon among cricket providers. If ball-by-ball depth is what you need, Sportmonks and Roanuz cover that better, at higher price points and without media content.

Sportradar and Data Sports Group serve the B2B segment. They require sales conversations and custom contracts, but deliver official data partnerships and settlement-grade feeds.

CricketData is the cheapest way to start for hobby projects and prototypes.

Test any API against your actual use case before committing to a paid plan. For more details, see the official Cricket API documentation.