The following movies are often regarded as the best cricket movies and best baseball movies that have ever graced our screens. 

Since the early days of film, a variety of movies have been written about cricket and baseball, while some are far more memorable than others. In no particular order of importance, here are ten of the best cricket and baseball movies ever made.

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India is a PG-rated musical drama that sees people of a small village in Victorian-era India challenge their ruthless British rulers to a game of cricket. It's a character-driven movie that shows the hardships they faced, and the main star of the movie was Aamir Khan, who played the handsome young village leader, Bhuvan.

The movie came out in 2001, and it runs for 224 minutes, which means that it's also one of the longest cricket-themed movies out there today. Some of the other stars who also played a part in Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India were Raghuvir Yadav, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorn, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Suhasini Mulay.

Moneyball

Moneyball is an inspiring 12A-rated movie that revolves around Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) and his attempt to create a trophy-winning Oakland A's baseball team on a shoestring budget. In his quest to win the World Series, his creative strategy sees him using in-depth statistical data to form a competitive advantage over his rivals.

This non-fiction drama lasted for 133 minutes and premiered in 2011 to high critical acclaim. Some of the other big names that also starred alongside Brad Pitt in this movie are Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Field of Dreams

To lots of movie buffs who love the baseball genre, Field of Dreams remains the most iconic baseball movie ever made. Central to the storyline is the main character, a hard-working farmer from Iowa called Ray Kinsella, who is played by Kevin Costner. He keeps hearing a softly spoken voice who whispers occasional phrases that only he can hear, such as 'If you build it, they will come.'

Inspired by the voices he hears, Ray then seeks to turn his cornfield into a baseball field. When the field is completed, the ghosts of eight Chicago White Sox players, including that of Shoeless Joe Jackson (who were infamously banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series), will appear to him in human form and play one last time.

This PG-rated movie was released in 1989 and it ran for 107 minutes. It was narrated by James Earl Jones, and it also starred the late Ray Liotta, Amy Madigan, Burt Lancaster, Art LaFleur, and Frank Whaley.

'83

'83 is a popular cricket movie that was released as recently as 2021. It's set in the summer of 1983 at the Lord's Cricket Ground in London, England, and the story revolves around a courageous group of 14 men who beat the two times World Champions West Indies, which put India back firmly onto the world stage of cricket.

This 12A-rated drama starred several famous Indian movie actors and actresses and some up & coming stars, such as Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Jiiva, Saqib Saleem, Pankaj Tripathi, and Jatin Sarna. One of the themes of this movie is that it touches upon Batsmen partnerships, which resonate with some of the best partnerships in the IPL in today's game.

Bull Durham

Another famous baseball movie that starred Kevin Costner as the lead actor was the 1988 flick Bull Durham, which also starred Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. The movie is loosely based upon the minor-league baseball experiences of writer and director Ron Shelton, and it portrays a minor-league baseball team based in Durham, North Carolina, called the Durham Bulls.

The story follows Crash Davis (Costner), who is tasked with helping mould the young Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh (played by Robbins) into a star player. The up-and-coming star spends most of his time with die-hard groupie Annie Savoy (Sarandon), who always manages to sleep with the best young prospect each season. This time it's the young and foolish Nuke's turn to be cast under her spell. Bull Durham was one of the highest-rated sports movies of the last century. It runs for 108 minutes, and it has a 15 rating.

The Natural

The Natural movie is one of those movies that most of you have probably never even heard of. However, it's regarded by many movie-goers and critics alike as one of the best baseball movies of all time. It was released in 1984, and it was centred around Roy Hobbs (played by Robert Redford) – a middle-aged player that comes from out of the blue to become a legend of the game with his remarkable baseball abilities.

This must-see PG-rated movie runs for 138 minutes, and it also starred a whole host of famous Hollywood actors and actresses, such as Robert Duvall, Kim Bassinger, Glenn Close, Barbara Hershey, Joe Don Baker, Robert Prosky, Michael Madsen, and Wilford Brimley, to name just a few. 

Major League

The 1989 movie Major League, which starred Tom Berenger and Charlie Sheen, as well as Margaret Whitton, Wesley Snipes, and Rene Russo, centres around the Cleveland Indians baseball team. Major League is a 15-rated movie and it runs for 107 minutes.

The story is about the new owner of the club (played by Whitton) who comes up with a scheme to assemble a ragtag bunch of under-performing players so they will lose the league, which means she can move them to a different stadium. When the team uncovers her evil plot, they spite her by winning their remaining games.

A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own is another iconic baseball movie that was released in 1992. This World War II-era film follows Dottie Hinson (played by Geena Davis) and her sister Kit Keller (played by Lori Petty), who both join one of the first female professional baseball league teams. The struggling team is managed by heavy-drinking Jimmy Dugan (played by Tom Hanks), who tries to help the team succeed amid existing rivalries between both the sisters and other players.

This popular 90's comedy is a PG-rated movie that runs for 168 minutes, and it also stars Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell, and Ann Cusack.

Sachin

Sachin follows the story of a young boy and his dreams of becoming the best cricket player in the world. He dreams of being hailed as the God of Cricket by fans and also by players who are already celebrated in their home country. This 12A-rated movie was released in 2017. It runs for 138 minutes, and three of the main actors are Sachin Tendulkar, Mikhail Gandhi, and Anjali Tendulkar.

Wondrous Oblivion

Just like the movie The Natural, Wondrous Oblivion is a life-affirming, heart-warming cricket movie that most of you will have never heard of. This PG-rated movie was released in 2013, and it stars Sam Smith, Delroy Lindo, Leagh Conwell, and Emily Woof. It's about a cricket-mad boy with zero talent. When the Jamaican Dennis Samuel (played by Lindo) moves in next door and sets up a cricket net in the back garden, the young David is ecstatic. What follows is a charming coming-of-age comedy-drama.