# OpenCricket API: full reference

OpenCricket API is a REST cricket data API and MCP server with ball-by-ball data for 22,983 matches
(11,615,100 deliveries) from 2001-12-19 to 2026-09-17. Source: Cricsheet, Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-By 1.0).
Status: pre-launch preview. Historical data, not a live feed. Contact: opencricket@proton.me.

# Plans

- Starter: $0/month, 5,000 requests/month. Match summaries and innings totals; Full batting and bowling scorecards; Competitions, teams, players and search; Every format: Tests, ODIs, T20Is and leagues.
- Developer: $14/month, 250,000 requests/month. Everything in Starter; Ball-by-ball deliveries for every match; Over-by-over, partnerships and phase splits; Batter-versus-bowler matchups; Venue profiles; All MCP tools for Claude, Cursor and agents.
- Pro: $39/month, 2,000,000 requests/month. Everything in Developer; Edge-cached responses from the nearest Cloudflare location; Priority email support, 2-business-day target; Commercial use, no automatic overages.

# Endpoints

- GET /v1/competitions [Starter] params: format, gender, group. Leagues, ICC events and domestic competitions with seasons and match counts.
- GET /v1/matches [Starter] params: competition, season, team, format, gender, from, to, cursor. Find matches by competition, season, team, venue, format or date range.
- GET /v1/matches/{id} [Starter]. Match summary: teams, toss, result, venue, officials and innings totals.
- GET /v1/matches/{id}/scorecard [Starter]. Full batting and bowling scorecard with dismissals and fall of wickets.
- GET /v1/matches/{id}/deliveries [Developer] params: innings, over_from, over_to, cursor. Every ball: batter, bowler, runs, extras, wickets and fielders.
- GET /v1/matches/{id}/overs [Developer]. Over-by-over runs and wickets for Manhattan and worm charts.
- GET /v1/matches/{id}/partnerships [Developer]. Partnership runs and balls for every wicket.
- GET /v1/matches/{id}/phases [Developer]. Powerplay, middle and death-over splits for limited-overs innings.
- GET /v1/teams/{id} [Starter]. Team profile with recent matches and competitions.
- GET /v1/players/{id} [Starter]. Player profile with Cricsheet registry ID and career splits by format.
- GET /v1/players/{id}/matchups [Developer] params: opponent, format. Batter-versus-bowler history: balls, runs, dismissals, strike rate.
- GET /v1/venues/{id} [Developer]. Venue profile: matches hosted, average first-innings score, toss decisions.
- GET /v1/search [Starter] params: q, type. Search players, teams, competitions and venues by name.

# MCP tools

- search_cricket: Find players, teams, competitions and venues by name.
- list_competitions: List competitions with formats, seasons and match counts.
- list_matches: Find matches by team, competition, season or date.
- get_match: Match summary, toss, result and innings totals.
- get_scorecard: Batting and bowling scorecards with dismissals.
- get_deliveries [Developer]: Ball-by-ball data for an innings or a range of overs.
- get_over_by_over [Developer]: Runs and wickets for every over.
- get_partnerships [Developer]: Partnerships for every wicket.
- get_phase_splits [Developer]: Powerplay, middle and death-over splits.
- get_player: Player profile and career splits by format.
- get_matchup [Developer]: Batter-versus-bowler head-to-head history.
- get_venue_profile [Developer]: Venue scoring patterns and toss decisions.

# Competitions

Figures count only matches in the archive; official career records can differ.

### Indian Premier League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/indian-premier-league
ID: comp_indian-premier-league. 1,243 matches, 295,732 deliveries, 19 seasons, 2008-04-18 to 2026-05-31.
Latest final (2026): Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 5 wickets, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Most runs in the archive: V Kohli 9,336; RG Sharma 7,329; S Dhawan 6,769.
Most wickets in the archive: YS Chahal 233; B Kumar 226; SP Narine 207.
Highest score: CH Gayle 175 (66 balls) v Pune Warriors, 2013-04-23.

### Big Bash League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/big-bash-league
ID: comp_big-bash-league. 662 matches, 153,250 deliveries, 15 seasons, 2011-12-16 to 2026-01-25.
Latest final (2025/26): Perth Scorchers won by 6 wickets, Perth Stadium.
Most runs in the archive: CA Lynn 4,088; MC Henriques 3,322; AJ Finch 3,310.
Most wickets in the archive: SA Abbott 185; BJ Dwarshuis 164; AJ Tye 160.
Highest score: GJ Maxwell 154 (64 balls) v Hobart Hurricanes, 2022-01-19.

### Pakistan Super League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/pakistan-super-league
ID: comp_pakistan-super-league. 357 matches, 83,799 deliveries, 12 seasons, 2016-02-04 to 2026-05-03.
Latest final (2026): Peshawar Zalmi won by 5 wickets, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Most runs in the archive: Babar Azam 4,380; Fakhar Zaman 3,365; Mohammad Rizwan 2,974.
Most wickets in the archive: Hasan Ali 140; Shaheen Shah Afridi 138; Shadab Khan 122.
Highest score: JJ Roy 145 (63 balls) v Peshawar Zalmi, 2023-03-08.

### Caribbean Premier League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/caribbean-premier-league
ID: comp_caribbean-premier-league. 442 matches, 103,105 deliveries, 14 seasons, 2013-07-30 to 2026-09-16.
Latest final (2025): Trinbago Knight Riders won by 3 wickets, Providence Stadium, Guyana.
Most runs in the archive: J Charles 3,647; ADS Fletcher 3,573; KA Pollard 3,295.
Most wickets in the archive: Imran Tahir 144; SP Narine 143; DJ Bravo 129.
Highest score: BA King 132 (72 balls) v Barbados Tridents, 2019-10-06.

### Bangladesh Premier League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/bangladesh-premier-league
ID: comp_bangladesh-premier-league. 469 matches, 111,232 deliveries, 12 seasons, 2012-02-11 to 2026-01-23.
Latest final (2025/26): Rajshahi Warriors won by 63 runs, Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.
Most runs in the archive: Tamim Iqbal 3,680; Mushfiqur Rahim 3,423; Mahmudullah 2,675.
Most wickets in the archive: Shakib Al Hasan 138; Taskin Ahmed 128; Mustafizur Rahman 121.
Highest score: CH Gayle 146 (69 balls) v Dhaka Dynamites, 2017-12-12.

### SA20
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/sa20
ID: comp_sa20. 130 matches, 29,020 deliveries, 4 seasons, 2023-01-10 to 2026-01-25.
Latest final (2025/26): Sunrisers Eastern Cape won by 6 wickets, Newlands, Cape Town.
Most runs in the archive: RD Rickelton 1,349; AK Markram 1,276; HE van der Dussen 1,211.
Most wickets in the archive: OEG Baartman 61; M Jansen 60; K Rabada 41.
Highest score: SD Hope 118 (69 balls) v Durban's Super Giants, 2026-01-07.

### International League T20
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/international-league-t20
ID: comp_international-league-t20. 134 matches, 31,407 deliveries, 4 seasons, 2023-01-13 to 2026-01-04.
Latest final (2025/26): Desert Vipers won by 46 runs, Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Most runs in the archive: AD Hales 1,405; N Pooran 1,277; Waseem Muhammad 1,241.
Most wickets in the archive: Fazalhaq Farooqi 64; Waqar Salamkheil 41; JO Holder 40.
Highest score: AGS Gous 120 (58 balls) v MI Emirates, 2025-12-30.

### Major League Cricket
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/major-league-cricket
ID: comp_major-league-cricket. 109 matches, 25,529 deliveries, 4 seasons, 2023-07-13 to 2026-07-18.
Latest final (2026): Los Angeles Knight Riders won by 1 run, Oakland Coliseum,Oakland.
Most runs in the archive: N Pooran 1,352; F du Plessis 1,226; MW Short 1,195.
Most wickets in the archive: TA Boult 54; SN Netravalkar 49; Haris Rauf 38.
Highest score: MJ Owen 155 (68 balls) v MI New York, 2026-06-20.

### Lanka Premier League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/lanka-premier-league
ID: comp_lanka-premier-league. 143 matches, 32,917 deliveries, 6 seasons, 2020-11-26 to 2026-08-08.
Latest final (2026): Galle Gallants won by 5 wickets, R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Most runs in the archive: WIA Fernando 1,776; BKG Mendis 1,476; LD Chandimal 1,466.
Most wickets in the archive: PWH de Silva 78; N Thushara 63; N Pradeep 51.
Highest score: LU Igalagamage 132 (63 balls) v Galle Gallants, 2026-07-29.

### The Hundred Men's Competition
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/the-hundred-mens-competition
ID: comp_the-hundred-mens-competition. 201 matches, 38,786 deliveries, 6 seasons, 2021-07-22 to 2026-08-16.
Latest final (2026): Manchester Super Giants won by 5 wickets, Lord's, London.
Most runs in the archive: BM Duckett 1,351; PD Salt 1,333; WG Jacks 1,328.
Most wickets in the archive: AU Rashid 56; SM Curran 51; TS Mills 51.
Highest score: WG Jacks 108 (48 balls) v Southern Brave, 2022-08-14.

### Nepal Premier League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/nepal-premier-league
ID: comp_nepal-premier-league. 64 matches, 14,937 deliveries, 2 seasons, 2024-11-30 to 2025-12-13.
Latest final (2025/26): Lumbini Lions won by 6 wickets, Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
Most runs in the archive: RK Paudel 555; RS Bopara 523; B Bhandari 499.
Most wickets in the archive: SC Kuggeleijn 27; Karan KC 25; A Bohara 24.
Highest score: MRJ Watt 114 (44 balls) v Lumbini Lions, 2025-11-22.

### ICC Men's T20 World Cup
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-mens-t20-world-cup
ID: comp_icc-mens-t20-world-cup. 334 matches, 76,446 deliveries, 10 seasons, 2007-09-11 to 2026-03-08.
Latest final (2025/26): India won by 96 runs, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Most runs in the archive: V Kohli 1,218; RG Sharma 1,137; JC Buttler 1,061.
Most wickets in the archive: Shakib Al Hasan 47; AU Rashid 42; A Zampa 40.
Highest score: BB McCullum 123 (58 balls) v Bangladesh, 2012-09-21.

### ICC Men's Cricket World Cup
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-mens-cricket-world-cup
ID: comp_icc-mens-cricket-world-cup. 229 matches, 121,325 deliveries, 5 seasons, 2003-02-09 to 2023-11-19.
Latest final (2023/24): Australia won by 6 wickets, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Most runs in the archive: KC Sangakkara 1,525; V Kohli 1,297; SR Tendulkar 1,219.
Most wickets in the archive: M Muralitharan 52; GD McGrath 47; Z Khan 44.
Highest score: MJ Guptill 237 (163 balls) v West Indies, 2015-03-21.

### ICC Champions Trophy
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-champions-trophy
ID: comp_icc-champions-trophy. 90 matches, 47,032 deliveries, 6 seasons, 2004-09-10 to 2025-03-09.
Latest final (2024/25): India won by 4 wickets, Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Most runs in the archive: V Kohli 747; CH Gayle 709; S Dhawan 701.
Most wickets in the archive: SL Malinga 25; KD Mills 25; JM Anderson 21.
Highest score: BM Duckett 165 (143 balls) v Australia, 2025-02-22.

### ICC World Test Championship
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-world-test-championship
ID: comp_icc-world-test-championship. 3 matches, 5,539 deliveries, 3 seasons, 2021-06-18 to 2025-06-11.
Latest final (2025): South Africa won by 5 wickets, Lord's, London.
Most runs in the archive: SPD Smith 234; TM Head 201; AM Rahane 199.
Most wickets in the archive: PJ Cummins 11; MA Starc 9; K Rabada 9.
Highest score: TM Head 163 (174 balls) v India, 2023-06-07.

### ICC Women's T20 World Cup
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-womens-t20-world-cup
ID: comp_icc-womens-t20-world-cup. 122 matches, 28,401 deliveries, 5 seasons, 2018-11-09 to 2026-07-05.
Latest final (2026): Australia won by 7 wickets, Lord's, London.
Most runs in the archive: BL Mooney 974; NR Sciver-Brunt 835; AJ Healy 717.
Most wickets in the archive: ML Schutt 41; S Ecclestone 39; AC Kerr 37.
Highest score: T Brits 114 (69 balls) v Netherlands, 2026-06-25.

### ICC Women's World Cup
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-womens-world-cup
ID: comp_icc-womens-world-cup. 102 matches, 52,713 deliveries, 5 seasons, 2009-03-10 to 2025-11-02.
Latest final (2025/26): India won by 52 runs, Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.
Most runs in the archive: L Wolvaardt 1,328; H Kaur 1,088; NR Sciver-Brunt 1,067.
Most wickets in the archive: M Kapp 37; S Ecclestone 37; DB Sharma 36.
Highest score: AC Jayangani 178 (143 balls) v Australia, 2017-06-29.

### ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/icc-mens-cricket-world-cup-league-2
ID: comp_icc-mens-cricket-world-cup-league-2. 235 matches, 124,954 deliveries, 12 seasons, 2019-08-14 to 2026-08-13.
Most runs in the archive: HG Munsey 2,057; MD Patel 2,056; MG Erasmus 1,991.
Most wickets in the archive: S Lamichhane 112; BM Scholtz 98; SN Netravalkar 97.
Highest score: HG Munsey 191 (150 balls) v Netherlands, 2025-06-12.

### T20 Blast
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/t20-blast
ID: comp_t20-blast. 1,570 matches, 360,545 deliveries, 13 seasons, 2014-05-16 to 2026-07-18.
Latest final (2026): Northamptonshire won by 14 runs, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Most runs in the archive: JM Vince 5,547; DJ Bell-Drummond 4,702; SR Hain 4,488.
Most wickets in the archive: DR Briggs 206; CP Wood 182; DA Payne 181.
Highest score: A Lyth 161 (73 balls) v Northamptonshire, 2017-08-17.

### County Championship
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/county-championship
ID: comp_county-championship. 1,467 matches, 2,483,852 deliveries, 12 seasons, 2014-04-06 to 2026-09-15.
Most runs in the archive: WL Madsen 10,641; SA Northeast 10,132; A Lyth 10,051.
Most wickets in the archive: JA Porter 524; KJ Abbott 516; C Rushworth 502.
Highest score: SA Northeast 410 (450 balls) v Leicestershire, 2022-07-20.

### One-Day Cup (England)
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/one-day-cup-england
ID: comp_one-day-cup-england. 886 matches, 467,711 deliveries, 12 seasons, 2014-07-26 to 2026-08-16.
Latest final (2025): Worcestershire won by 3 wickets, Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
Most runs in the archive: T Westley 4,049; NRT Gubbins 3,759; AZ Lees 3,130.
Most wickets in the archive: OJ Hannon-Dalby 130; EG Barnard 103; JS Patel 87.
Highest score: PP Shaw 244 (153 balls) v Somerset, 2023-08-09.

### Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy
ID: comp_syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy. 695 matches, 158,839 deliveries, 9 seasons, 2016-01-02 to 2024-12-15.
Latest final (2024/25): Mumbai won by 5 wickets, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
Most runs in the archive: KH Devdhar 1,432; N Rana 1,376; Virat Singh 1,236.
Most wickets in the archive: PP Chawla 67; JD Unadkat 65; LI Meriwala 62.
Highest score: SS Iyer 147 (55 balls) v Sikkim, 2019-02-21.

### Sheffield Shield
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/sheffield-shield
ID: comp_sheffield-shield. 190 matches, 348,960 deliveries, 9 seasons, 2017-03-26 to 2026-03-26.
Latest final (2025/26): South Australia won by 56 runs, Junction Oval, Melbourne.
Most runs in the archive: MS Harris 3,783; PSP Handscomb 3,729; CT Bancroft 3,702.
Most wickets in the archive: JM Bird 193; MT Steketee 176; N McAndrew 173.
Highest score: PSP Handscomb 281 (367 balls) v Western Australia, 2022-10-17.

### One-Day Cup (Australia)
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/one-day-cup-australia
ID: comp_one-day-cup-australia. 112 matches, 57,513 deliveries, 6 seasons, 2021-02-15 to 2026-03-11.
Latest final (2025/26): New South Wales won by 4 wickets, Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Most runs in the archive: JR Philippe 1,334; PSP Handscomb 1,285; DP Hughes 1,206.
Most wickets in the archive: AJ Tye 49; W Sutherland 40; HTRY Thornton 38.
Highest score: TM Head 230 (127 balls) v Queensland, 2021-10-13.

### Plunket Shield
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/plunket-shield
ID: comp_plunket-shield. 343 matches, 618,286 deliveries, 14 seasons, 2012-10-27 to 2026-03-27.
Most runs in the archive: JA Raval 6,940; GR Hay 5,732; TC Bruce 5,697.
Most wickets in the archive: SC Kuggeleijn 298; AY Patel 280; JA Duffy 262.
Highest score: TC Bruce 345 (401 balls) v Auckland Aces, 2025-03-05.

### Super Smash
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/super-smash
ID: comp_super-smash. 266 matches, 60,556 deliveries, 9 seasons, 2017-12-13 to 2026-01-31.
Latest final (2025/26): Northern Districts won by 5 wickets, Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Most runs in the archive: CJ Bowes 2,398; TC Bruce 2,193; D Cleaver 2,075.
Most wickets in the archive: BM Tickner 104; LV van Beek 88; SC Kuggeleijn 82.
Highest score: MG Bracewell 141 (65 balls) v Central Districts, 2022-01-08.

### CSA T20 Challenge
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/csa-t20-challenge
ID: comp_csa-t20-challenge. 284 matches, 64,734 deliveries, 12 seasons, 2013-02-17 to 2024-10-27.
Latest final (2024/25): Lions won by 8 wickets, The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.
Most runs in the archive: RR Hendricks 2,028; JT Smuts 1,852; TB de Bruyn 1,554.
Most wickets in the archive: MP Siboto 86; AM Phangiso 73; CJ Dala 65.
Highest score: D Brevis 162 (57 balls) v Knights, 2022-10-31.

### Women's Premier League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/womens-premier-league
ID: comp_womens-premier-league. 88 matches, 20,656 deliveries, 4 seasons, 2023-03-04 to 2026-02-05.
Latest final (2025/26): Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 6 wickets, Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara.
Most runs in the archive: NR Sciver-Brunt 1,348; MM Lanning 1,200; H Kaur 1,193.
Most wickets in the archive: AC Kerr 54; HK Matthews 46; S Ecclestone 43.
Highest score: NR Sciver-Brunt 100 (57 balls) v Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 2026-01-26.

### Women's Big Bash League
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/womens-big-bash-league
ID: comp_womens-big-bash-league. 519 matches, 118,656 deliveries, 11 seasons, 2015-12-18 to 2025-12-13.
Latest final (2025/26): Hobart Hurricanes won by 8 wickets, Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Most runs in the archive: BL Mooney 5,006; EA Perry 4,424; SFM Devine 3,798.
Most wickets in the archive: JL Jonassen 163; H Graham 147; A Wellington 146.
Highest score: L Lee 150 (75 balls) v Perth Scorchers, 2024-11-10.

### The Hundred Women's Competition
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/the-hundred-womens-competition
ID: comp_the-hundred-womens-competition. 188 matches, 36,850 deliveries, 6 seasons, 2021-07-21 to 2026-08-16.
Latest final (2026): Trent Rockets won by 8 wickets, Lord's, London.
Most runs in the archive: NR Sciver-Brunt 1,420; SIR Dunkley 1,366; L Wolvaardt 1,265.
Most wickets in the archive: LK Bell 66; M Kapp 57; KL Cross 54.
Highest score: TT Beaumont 118 (61 balls) v Trent Rockets, 2023-08-14.

### Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy
ID: comp_rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy. 189 matches, 100,929 deliveries, 5 seasons, 2020-08-29 to 2024-09-21.
Latest final (2024): Sunrisers won by 27 runs, Grace Road, Leicester.
Most runs in the archive: GL Adams 1,859; E Jones 1,838; SN Luff 1,769.
Most wickets in the archive: KA Levick 78; GL Adams 71; KL Gordon 60.
Highest score: AE Jones 163 (114 balls) v Western Storm, 2021-05-31.

### Charlotte Edwards Cup
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/charlotte-edwards-cup
ID: comp_charlotte-edwards-cup. 124 matches, 29,065 deliveries, 4 seasons, 2021-06-26 to 2024-06-22.
Latest final (2024): The Blaze won by 7 wickets, County Ground, Derby.
Most runs in the archive: EL Lamb 837; HJ Armitage 831; GL Adams 822.
Most wickets in the archive: KA Levick 51; LCN Smith 44; CE Dean 36.
Highest score: EL Lamb 111 (61 balls) v Sunrisers, 2021-07-09.

### Women's Super Smash
URL: https://opencricketapi.com/coverage/womens-super-smash
ID: comp_womens-super-smash. 148 matches, 33,578 deliveries, 5 seasons, 2021-12-12 to 2026-01-31.
Latest final (2025/26): Wellington won by 5 wickets, Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Most runs in the archive: AC Kerr 1,541; KG Anderson 1,391; SW Bates 1,235.
Most wickets in the archive: JM Kerr 64; EJ Black 63; AC Kerr 58.
Highest score: AE Satterthwaite 114 (66 balls) v Northern Districts, 2022-01-21.

# Guides

## Cricket Data API Guide: Scorecards, Deliveries and Match Context

URL: https://opencricketapi.com/blog/cricket-data-api-guide (updated 2026-10-05)

A cricket data API turns matches, innings, overs and deliveries into structured responses that software can use. The HTTP request is the easy part. The hard part is choosing data whose coverage, identifiers, depth and licence fit the product you want to build.

### What does a cricket data API provide?
At minimum, a cricket API gives you competitions, teams, matches and results. A useful one also gives you the full scorecard: every batter's runs, balls and dismissal, and every bowler's overs, runs and wickets.
Cricket is unusual because the scorecard is a summary of a much richer record. Every delivery has a batter, a bowler, runs, extras and sometimes a wicket. With that record you can rebuild the scorecard and much more: over-by-over charts, partnerships, phase splits and batter-versus-bowler history.
- Matches: teams, toss, venue, officials and result.
- Scorecards: batting, bowling, extras and fall of wickets.
- Deliveries: one record per ball, including wides and no-balls.
- Derived context: overs, partnerships, powerplay and death-over splits.
- Metadata: source and licence on every response.

### Formats change the shape of the data
A Test has up to four innings over five days. A T20 has two innings of 20 overs. The Hundred counts balls, not overs. A good API keeps one schema for all of them and makes the differences explicit, for example a balls-per-over field and an innings number.
Check how an API handles declarations, follow-ons, super overs, rain-reduced matches and no results before you depend on it.

### Identity is the hidden problem
The same player can appear as "V Kohli", "Virat Kohli" and "Kohli" across sources. OpenCricket uses the Cricsheet registry, which gives each person one stable identifier. Player IDs in responses look like player_cs_ followed by that registry ID.
Entity | ID pattern | Example
Match | match_cs_{cricsheet id} | match_cs_1535465
Player | player_cs_{registry id} | player_cs_ba607b88
Team | team_cs_{slug} | team_cs_royal-challengers-bengaluru
Competition | comp_{slug} | comp_indian-premier-league

Q: Is ball-by-ball data the same as live data?
A: No. Ball-by-ball describes the depth of the record. Live describes how fast it arrives. OpenCricket currently serves complete ball-by-ball history, not a live feed.

---

## Free Cricket API: What Open Ball-by-Ball Data Can and Cannot Do

URL: https://opencricketapi.com/blog/free-cricket-api-open-data (updated 2026-10-05)

Cricsheet publishes ball-by-ball data for tens of thousands of matches under an open licence. That makes a free cricket API possible. It also sets clear limits, and an honest API should say what they are.

### What open data covers well
The archive starts in 2001 and includes men's and women's Tests, ODIs and T20Is, ICC events, associate nations and the major T20 leagues. Every match has deliveries, players with registry IDs, officials, toss and result.
- Ball-by-ball deliveries with extras, wickets and fielders.
- Stable person identifiers across all matches.
- Women's cricket alongside men's cricket.
- Associate nations such as Nepal, Namibia, Scotland and Rwanda.

### What it does not include
Open data records what happened to each ball, not where it went. There are no shot directions, pitch maps or fielding positions. Any wagon wheel built on this data would be invented, so OpenCricket does not draw one.
The data is published after matches finish, so it is not a live feed. Cricsheet also withholds matches that feature the Afghanistan men's team or that were played in the Afghanistan Premier League, as a matter of policy.

### Attribution
Cricsheet data is released under the Open Data Commons Attribution License. You can use it commercially if you credit the source. OpenCricket puts the source and licence in the meta block of every response, so attribution travels with the data.

Q: Can I use open cricket data in a paid app?
A: Yes, under the attribution licence, provided you credit Cricsheet. Check the licence text on cricsheet.org for the exact terms.

---

## How to Build Manhattan and Worm Charts from a Cricket API

URL: https://opencricketapi.com/blog/manhattan-and-worm-charts-javascript (updated 2026-10-05)

A Manhattan shows the runs scored in each over. A worm shows the running total. Both come from the same over-by-over response, and both take about twenty lines of JavaScript.

### Fetch the overs
The overs endpoint returns one row per over with runs, wickets and the ball codes. Use the Developer plan key in the Authorization header.

### Draw the Manhattan
Scale each bar to the highest over in the match, and mark wickets with a dot on top of the bar.

### Draw the worm
Accumulate the runs and plot one point per over. Draw both innings on the same axes to see where a chase went right or wrong.

---

## Best Cricket APIs in 2026: An Honest Comparison

URL: https://opencricketapi.com/blog/best-cricket-api-2026 (updated 2026-10-05)

The best cricket API depends on one question first: do you need live scores, or deep history? Live ball-by-ball feeds cost more because leagues license them. Historical ball-by-ball data can be open and cheap. This comparison sorts the main providers by that line.

### Quick answer
For live scores on a budget, CricketData (CricAPI) is the cheapest paid option. For live fantasy and betting products, Roanuz and EntitySport are the cricket specialists. For broadcast and regulated betting, Sportradar is the enterprise choice. For historical ball-by-ball analysis and AI agents, OpenCricket API is built for that job, but it is not a live feed.

### Comparison table
Prices are the lowest paid plans as publicly listed in October 2026. Providers change prices often, so check each pricing page before you buy.
Provider | From | Live data | Ball by ball | Best for
CricketData (CricAPI) | $5.99/mo, free tier | Yes | Yes | Hobby projects and small live-score sites
Highlightly | $9.49/mo, free tier | Yes | Yes | Multi-sport apps that also want odds and highlights
CricBuzz API (API.market) | $19.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Score widgets and news sites
Sportmonks | €29/mo | Yes | Yes | Multi-league apps already using Sportmonks
Goalserve | $125/mo | Yes | Yes | Media and betting feeds in XML or JSON
EntitySport | $150/mo | Yes | Yes | Fantasy operators and publishers
Roanuz | About $210/mo | Yes, push | Yes | Fantasy platforms that need pre-computed points
Sportradar | Contract | Yes, official | Yes | Broadcasters and regulated sportsbooks
OpenCricket API | Free, $14/mo | No (planned) | Yes, since 2001 | Analytics, research and AI agents

### When OpenCricket is the right choice
Choose OpenCricket when you need depth more than speed: every delivery of 22,983 matches, stable player IDs from the Cricsheet registry, derived partnerships, phase splits and batter-versus-bowler matchups, and an MCP server so agents can query it directly.
Do not choose it for a live-score app today. It serves history, refreshed as new matches are published, and says so on every page.
- Good fit: analytics dashboards, model training, journalism, fantasy research, AI assistants.
- Poor fit: live scores, in-play betting, push notifications during matches.

### What to check before you choose
Ask every provider the same four questions. How fast does a ball arrive during a live match? Which competitions have ball-by-ball data, not only scorecards? Are player IDs stable across seasons and competitions? What does the licence allow you to do with the data?

Q: What is the cheapest cricket API with live scores?
A: Among the providers listed here, CricketData (CricAPI) has the lowest paid plan at $5.99 per month, plus a free tier of 100 requests a day. Check its pricing page for current terms.

Q: Is there a free cricket API with ball-by-ball data?
A: Yes. OpenCricket API has a free Starter plan with 5,000 requests a month, built on Cricsheet's open ball-by-ball data. It covers history, not live matches.

Q: Which cricket API works with AI agents?
A: OpenCricket API ships an MCP server with 12 tools, so Claude Desktop, Cursor and other MCP clients can query scorecards, deliveries and matchups directly.

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## Cricket MCP Server: Give Claude and Cursor Ball-by-Ball Data

URL: https://opencricketapi.com/blog/cricket-mcp-server (updated 2026-10-05)

Ask a chat assistant how a batter fares against left-arm spin and it will often guess. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets the assistant call a tool instead, and answer from the record. The OpenCricket MCP server gives it 12 cricket tools.

### What the server does
The server runs on your machine over stdio. Your MCP client starts it and stops it. Each tool calls the OpenCricket REST API with your key, so answers come from the same data and carry the same source and licence.
- search_cricket and list_competitions to find IDs.
- list_matches, get_match and get_scorecard for results and scorecards.
- get_deliveries, get_over_by_over, get_partnerships and get_phase_splits for ball-by-ball detail.
- get_player, get_matchup and get_venue_profile for player and venue questions.

### Set it up in Claude Desktop
Add this block to claude_desktop_config.json and restart the app. The package ships on npm at launch.

### Questions it can answer
Who scored the most runs in the 2026 IPL final? How did India's powerplay compare with New Zealand's in the 2026 T20 World Cup final? What is the highest partnership in a given innings? The tools return the numbers and the source, and the assistant writes the answer.
It will not answer live questions. The data is historical, and the tools say so instead of inventing a score.

Q: Is there an MCP server for cricket data?
A: Yes. OpenCricket API provides an MCP server with 12 tools for scorecards, ball-by-ball deliveries, partnerships, phase splits, player matchups and venue profiles.

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## IPL Ball-by-Ball Data: Every Season Since 2008

URL: https://opencricketapi.com/blog/ipl-ball-by-ball-data (updated 2026-10-05)

The Indian Premier League is the most requested competition in cricket data. OpenCricket API has 1,243 IPL matches from 18 April 2008 to the 2026 final on 31 May 2026, with every delivery recorded.

### What the IPL data covers
There are 295,732 deliveries across 19 seasons. Each one has the batter, bowler, non-striker, runs, extras and any wicket with its fielders. From those records the API derives scorecards, over-by-over runs, partnerships and phase splits.

### Records in the data
These figures are computed from the matches in the archive. Official records can differ where a match is missing.
Record | Holder | Figure
Most runs | V Kohli | 9,336 runs
Most wickets | YS Chahal | 233 wickets
Highest individual score | CH Gayle v Pune Warriors, 2013 | 175 from 66 balls
Highest team total | Sunrisers Hyderabad v RCB, 2024 | 287/3
Most wins | Mumbai Indians | 155 wins

### Query it
List a season's matches, then open any match for its scorecard or deliveries.

Q: Where can I get IPL ball-by-ball data?
A: Cricsheet publishes IPL ball-by-ball data as open files, and OpenCricket API serves it through a REST API and MCP server with stable IDs: 1,243 matches from 2008 to 2026.

Q: Who has the most runs in IPL history?
A: In the 1,243 IPL matches in the OpenCricket archive, Virat Kohli has the most runs: 9,336 from 6,926 balls.