How does Cricket compare to Sports like the NBA?

Cricket (Image Source: Google)

Cricket has had its followings in specific countries for generations. Those powerhouses of the game from India to England, Australia to the West Indies as well as many others have had a strong following with fans tuning in for the biggest games in their hoards.

Viewers tune on from around the world for the World Cup matches, the Ashes test between England and Australia as well as the T20 format and the one-day tests. The viewing figures continue to rise, and interest builds just as other sports. 

As fans look to the NBA finals odds, they are also checking the next cricket test or tournament which continues to grow as a sport enjoyed by people from non-traditional cricketing nations.

It can be hard to compare cricket with other sports due to the way it is played. The T20 format, limiting the amount of overs, has added more pace and excitement to the game which has helped with more casual fans who prefer the pace of games like basketball. 

A traditional test match can last for days in cricket which is something which is something that cannot compare to an NBA game or an NHL game where action is almost continuous. 

Cricket is doing more to reach a wider range of supporters, though it is coming from an incredibly passionate fanbase for the traditional rules. 

Nations like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will see Cricket as their national sport, which England, Australia, South Africa, and others have a big history and a large following despite competing with other national sprots like Soccer and Rugby.

The Indian Premier League IPL has pushed the sport even further and added an all-star element to the game which has pushed interest from around the world.

Companies are competing for media rights to show IPL games on their service and the cost per game is only beaten by the NFL. The per-game cost of the NFL is estimated to be $17 million, for the IPL it is $13.4 million, and the NBA is $2 million.

Granted the NBA plays a lot more games than other leagues but the money and demand for the IPL continues to grow. Huge fees are paid to players who are paraded as superstars of the sport for competing in this tournament similarly to those of the NBA and NFL.

Fans watch cricket not just for the sport, but the characters in the game. Chris Gayle has been one of the greatest batsman in the sport, smashing balls for six points. He is able to get the crowd excited and light up the atmosphere with his aggressive and offensive style of play. 

Having a player like Chris Gayle is similar to how Russel Westbrook lights up the court in the NBA. He may not be the biggest, but he is one of the most competitive, the quickest and has one of the best vertical jumps in the league. 

There players excite fans with their sheer determination to rack up points and force the opposition to retreat and defend.

NBA star James Harden is famed for his ability to draw fouls with patient yet precise play. Identifying the weaknesses in the opposition and exploiting them at just the right time. The same can be said of Hashim Amla of South Africa. He is the fastest player to reach the mark of 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 runs in One Day International matches though is a different style to Chris Gayle. 

Amla doesn’t rush, he has achieved these milestones quickly by being patient and striking a the right time, ensuring he does not put himself in danger of being given out, he gets the better of the bowler by identifying their traits and techniques.

Cricket, like Basketball, has both offensive and defensive traits to its game. While a batter in cricket is there to score as many runs as possible, but some players are also required to be top level bowlers as well. 

Ben Stokes became the highest paid foreign player in the IPL in 2017 due to his ability to score highly when in bat but also be a force with the ball when his side are fielding. In the NBA Kevin Durrant can be seen as a parallel to Stokes as a player who can put up strong shooting numbers but is also a dominant player on the defense putting up big blocks to be a key player at both ends of the court.

While the pace of play can differ, there are stars in both sports which fans are devoted followers of. The Mumbai Indians has 11.3 followers on Instagram which is a impressive though trails the Golden State Warriors in the NBA who have 28.9 million. 

With the changing faces in the IPL, it is often the players themselves who gain the biggest following, especially as their main role is often as a national team player. Virat Kohli is the most followed cricketer on Instagram with 239 million followers which even beats LeBron James who trails with around 149 million.