Top 5 Best Cricket Games for PC in 2024
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, with a huge global fanbase spanning countries like India, Pakistan, Australia, England, and more. This popularity has led to the creation of numerous cricket video games over the years that allow fans to experience the sport virtually.
With constant improvements in graphics, gameplay mechanics, and licensed content, cricket games continue getting better. For cricket fans who want to enjoy virtual cricket on their PCs, there are some excellent game options available in 2024.
In this article, we look at the top 5 best cricket games for PC in 2024 that provide an immersive, true-to-life cricketing experience.
Best Cricket Games for PC
1. EA Sports Cricket
EA Sports Cricket 2024 is the latest installment in Electronic Arts’ Cricket video game series. Built using the sophisticated Frostbite game engine, Cricket 2024 provides stunningly realistic graphics and animations that make you feel like you’re on an actual cricket field.
Some of the standout features of this game include:
- Photo-realistic player models – The ultra-detailed character models look exactly like their real-life counterparts. Everything from the face, hair, body build, and equipment has been designed with precision.
- True-to-life stadiums – Famous cricket stadiums like Lord’s, MCG, Eden Gardens, etc. have been recreated down to the most minute detail for an authentic experience.
- Dynamic weather system – Weather conditions like rain, heat, cloud cover, shadows, etc. change dynamically during matches, affecting gameplay.
- Improved physics and animations – Bowling, batting, and fielding animations are incredibly lifelike. Bat swings, ball trajectories, and pitch behavior follow real physics.
- Extensive gameplay modes – Test matches, ODIs, T20Is, domestic competitions, scenario modes, and more. You can recreate famous matches.
- Online multiplayer – Compete with other players online in ranked matches, tournaments, and challenges.
With official licensing from international teams and players’ associations, Cricket 2024 promises to provide the most true-to-life cricketing experience on PC for fans.
2. Big Ant Cricket
Big Ant Cricket 2024 is the latest version of Big Ant Studios’ realistic cricket game series for the PC platform. It builds upon the success of earlier editions with improvements across the board.
Key features:
- Enhanced graphics and animations – Taking advantage of modern PC hardware, Big Ant Cricket 2024 provides the most detailed player/stadium models and smoothest animations.
-Career mode – Create your custom player and take them through a 15-year journey from club cricket to international superstardom. Perform in domestic competitions and get selected for your national side.
- More varied bowling – The new bowling system allows for greater variety in deliveries like off-cutters, leg-cutters, slower balls, cross-seam bowling, etc. Batters need good skills to handle these.
- Fielding improvements – Fielders now take more realistic routes to cut off boundaries, react better to irregular bounces and there are more relay throws & run-outs.
- License team kits – Official team uniforms and equipment as per the latest kits for all major international teams and domestic sides.
- Responsive commentary – Commentary is more contextual and responsive to match events. The insightful commentary analysis adds to the realism.
With such attention to cricketing detail and authenticity, Big Ant Cricket 2024 promises to be the foremost cricket gaming experience on PC when it releases.
3. Cricket 19
Cricket 19 by Big Ant Studios builds upon their Cricket game series and provides enhanced realism in all aspects of the sport. Developed exclusively for PC, it provides one of the most comprehensive cricket gaming experiences for fans.
Some standout features:
- Sophisticated AI – The AI for batsmen, bowlers, and fielders has been improved significantly to provide human-like gameplay behavior. Tactics and difficulty levels are more realistic.
- Image-based likenesses – Realistic player faces using scanned photographs make you feel like actual cricketers are on the pitch.
- Varied animations – More variety in batting shots, bowling actions, and fielding efforts removes repetitive animations.
- Dynamic ground conditions – Pitch wear, outfield degradation, dampness, etc. change throughout a match and affect gameplay.
- Domestic career – Start your club career across nations and play domestic matches vying for national team selection. An international career option is also available.
- Custom tournaments – Create your custom tournaments with selected teams, choose several overs, game rules and pitch conditions, etc.
- Multiplayer leagues Online – Participate in online leagues with other players, and draft teams, and play tournaments in a virtual cricketing world.
For PC gamers seeking the most authentic, challenging, and complete cricket experience, Cricket 19 delivers the goods and more.
4. Ashes Cricket
Ashes Cricket, from Big Ant Studios, is a cricket game designed exclusively for the PC platform and focused on providing an authentic gaming experience for one of the oldest cricketing rivalries – The Ashes.
Salient features:
- Realistic player likenesses – Using advanced face scanning technology, the actual faces of famous cricketers like Steve Smith, Joe Root, David Warner, etc. have been mapped into the game.
- Accurate venue models – Detailed scans of famous Ashes venues like Lord’s, The Oval, Melbourne Cricket Ground, etc. immerse you into the actual playing field.
- Varied commentary – A dedicated commentary team provides dynamic and contextual commentary responding to match events as they occur. Keeps things engaging.
- Historic and current squads – Play as historic England and Australia squads from past Ashes contests. Current player rosters are included as well.
- Fight for the Urn – Relive famous Ashes moments from the past and rewrite history. Or play as current squads and contest the virtual Ashes series to lift the coveted Urn trophy.
- Single/Multiplayer – Play the computer or go head to head with other players online to determine who rules The Ashes!
- Real-time weather – Weather elements like rain interruptions, overcast conditions, etc. add variability and affect strategies.
For PC gamers who love cricket’s oldest rivalry, Ashes Cricket provides the definitive virtual Ashes experience complete with authentic details.
5. Don Bradman Cricket 17
- Considered one of the best cricket games on PC when it launched, Don Bradman Cricket 17 still holds up strongly in 2024 due to its immersive gameplay and attention to detail.
- Advanced batting mechanics – The refined batting system provides great control over stroke play. Timing, direction, and foot movement all contribute to each shot. Rewarding for batting skill.
- Intelligent bowling – Bowlers behave intelligently to outsmart batters. They dynamically change lines, use the swing, vary pace, and more. Batsmen must play smart.
- Career mode – Take your player through the journey from rookie to pro. Perform in domestic games and work towards national team selection.
- Customization options – Kit designs, player faces, tournament rulesets and more can be customized to your liking. Create your ideal cricketers and competitions!
- Big variety of teams – Over 300 male and female domestic/international teams available including club and national sides.
- Challenging fielding – No easy run scoring. The improved fielding AI and mechanics make saving boundaries and taking catches a stern challenge.
- Scenario modes – Relive famous matches and moments by replaying them or try to change history!
Though dated, Don Bradman Cricket 17’s solid fundamentals make it a rewarding and challenging cricket experience for PC gamers even today.
FAQs About Best Cricket Games for PC
What are the key things to look for in a good cricket game for PC?
Some of the key aspects that contribute to a great cricket gaming experience on PC include:
- Realistic and detailed graphics/animations of players, environments for immersion
- Advanced batting/bowling control mechanics for skill-based play
- Intelligent and dynamic AI for challenging gameplay
- Variety of modes like career, scenarios, online play, etc.
- Official licensing for authentic teams/players/stadiums
- Customization abilities to tailor the experience
- Responsive controls and smooth performance
Which is better – cricket games for PC or consoles?
PCs have the edge over consoles when it comes to cricket games due to factors like:
- Higher resolution graphics potential on gaming PCs leads to more realistic visuals
- Ability to use mouse + keyboard on PC allowing more precise controls
- Faster loading times and smoother gameplay performance on powerful PCs
- Modding support on PC versions to customize games
- Support for multiplayer servers and online communities
However, consoles offer the simplicity of controllers and easier local multiplayer. So each platform has its pros.
What are the best controllers to play cricket games on PC?
For optimized control when playing cricket games on a PC, these controllers are great options:
- Xbox Wireless Controller – The standard controller for PC gaming, with an ergonomic shape, perfect button layout, and native Windows compatibility.
- PS5 DualSense Controller – With advanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, it provides greater gameplay immersion.
- Logitech F310 Gamepad – Affordable quality controller with a straightforward button layout.
- Keyboard + Mouse – Offers precision control for batting, bowling, and fielding. Ideal for fast-reaction gameplay.
Which cricket gaming titles can be played online?
Some notable cricket games for PC that offer good online multiplayer functionality include:
- EA Sports Cricket 2024
- Big Ant’s Cricket 19 and Cricket 22
- Don Bradman Cricket 17
- Ashes Cricket
- Cricket Revolution 3D
These allow you to play/compete with other PC gamers online across tournaments, leagues, scenarios, and challenges.
What are the minimum and recommended PC requirements for the latest cricket games?
Here are the typical specs needed:
Minimum:
- CPU – Intel i3 or Ryzen 3
- RAM – 4GB
- GPU – NVIDIA GTX 650 or AMD Radeon HD 7750
- Storage – 25GB free space
- OS – Windows 7 or newer
Recommended:
- CPU – Intel i5/i7 or Ryzen 5/7
- RAM – 8GB+
- GPU – NVIDIA RTX/GTX 16 series or AMD RX Vega series
- Storage – 50GB+ free space
- OS – Windows 10 64-bit
Newer titles may need hardware more powerful than these baseline requirements for optimal performance.
Conclusion
Cricket gaming on the PC platform has made huge strides in recent times when it comes to providing immersive and realistic cricketing experiences. The top cricket game titles in 2024 like EA Cricket 2024, Big Ant’s Cricket 22, Don Bradman 17, etc. showcase the peak of video game cricket.
With official team and player licensing, incredibly detailed assets, and deep gameplay mechanics, these games capture the essence of the sport. The added benefit of multiplayer support allows you to competitively enjoy cricket virtually against players worldwide.
PC gamers who are cricket fans are spoilt for choice when deciding which cricket game to play in 2024. Based on your specific preferences for graphics, gameplay modes, controls, or licenses, there are excellent options available that are sure to satisfy your virtual cricket needs.
So grab your gamepads, keyboards, or controllers and step into the cricket field to bowl, bat, and field with the best cricket games you can enjoy on PC in 2024!