Manchester is a city that doesn’t just love sport — it lives it. From red vs blue football feuds to the roar of a boxing crowd at the Arena, this is a place where competition thrives and matchdays matter. But cricket? That’s a quieter obsession — until something big’s on. A World Cup final. An Ashes decider. A local lad making headlines in The Hundred. Then the city tunes in, and suddenly everyone’s got a take.

The only problem? For years, the go-to answer for where to watch cricket in Manchester has been… inconsistent. A couple of pubs with TVs. A few sports bars more interested in darts. And the occasional mate’s living room with dodgy streaming.

But that changed the day Sixes Manchester opened its doors in the Corn Exchange.

This isn’t a bar with a bat gimmick. It’s a full-blown cricket playground with stadium-quality screens, net sessions powered by motion-tracking tech, and a crowd that shows up for the cricket — not in spite of it. Whether you’re glued to the IPL, screaming for England, or just want to swing wildly and talk smack between overs, this is your spot.

Because in Manchester, we don’t just want to watch the game. We want to be part of it.

Cricket That Doesn’t Wait for Summer

Old Trafford might host the internationals, but let’s be real — not everyone’s got the time (or wallet) for five days of whites and suncream. What Manchester needed was a way to enjoy cricket without booking time off or praying for weather. Sixes answered that call — with indoor action, cold drinks, and zero chance of rain delays.

Inside the Corn Exchange, you’ll find something that feels like the sport’s future: batting nets that respond to your swing, screens showing ball-by-ball breakdowns, and game modes that turn even a beginner’s swing into something epic (or at least hilarious).

This is cricket stripped of its barriers. No need for gear. No pressure to be good. Just step in and hit — or miss — with style. And if you are good? Even better. The leaderboard awaits.

Between matches, groups chill out at their own tables, dissecting technique, arguing over who’s next, or celebrating someone finally connecting with the ball. And all around, live cricket streams from around the world — the perfect mix of global stage and local noise.

At Sixes, cricket doesn’t wait for summer. It plays when you want it. Manchester-style.

Built for Banter, Not Background Noise

One of the worst things about watching cricket in a pub? The vibe. You get one corner of the room, maybe a screen with no sound, and half the bar looking confused when you cheer a wicket. It’s background noise. And that’s not how sport should be.

Sixes flips that. Here, cricket is the headline act — whether it’s an India vs Pakistan showdown or a Thursday night warm-up game. The crowd shows up for the sport. People cheer, debate, groan, and fist-pump like they’re on the balcony at Lord’s — except with better beer and actual space to sit.

The difference is in the layout. Big screens you can actually see. Commentary turned up, not down. Tables positioned so no one’s straining to follow the action. You’re not watching on mute. You’re watching with purpose.

And the people? They know their stuff. Sure, some are casual fans, but plenty are proper cricket heads. It’s not unusual to overhear someone explaining net run rate over wings — or confidently mispredicting the next dismissal. Either way, it’s a space where cricket is the conversation.

So if you’ve ever left a pub after a game feeling like you were the only one watching… Sixes is your redemption.

The Manchester Crowd: Loud, Loyal, and Totally Up for It

Every city has its own way of watching sport. In Manchester, it’s emotional. It’s noisy. And it leans hard into tribal loyalty — whether you’re backing England, the West Indies, India, Pakistan, or the club down the road.

That energy spills into Sixes every time a game is on. Fans bring their flags. People sing along to the Sky Sports intro music. Someone always starts yelling about Bazball. It’s a melting pot of cricket opinions and overly confident predictions — and it’s glorious.

What makes it work is the space itself. There’s room to talk, argue, stand, cheer, sit back, and throw a few hands in the air when your team bottles it. And when nothing’s happening on-screen? That’s when the nets heat up again.

You might roll in for a watch party and end up in a five-person batting contest just to settle an argument. Or someone will bet their next round on who gets top score. It’s casual competition — the Manchester way — with cricket as the heartbeat.

Whether it’s a local fan group booking out a section or just two friends watching Bangladesh take on South Africa, the crowd brings energy. And in this city, energy is everything.

Matchdays That Roll Into Nights

Some venues are just for the game. You show up, you watch, you leave. That’s fine — but it’s not Manchester. Here, sport is the start of the night, not the end of it. And at Sixes, that’s exactly how it’s built to work.

Arrive for the 3:00pm toss, settle in with a pint, watch the opening overs. By the time the first innings wraps up, someone’s already booked the nets. Suddenly you’re part of a game that mirrors the one on screen — except you’ve just been clean bowled in front of your mates, and now you owe someone a drink.

As the match builds, so does the energy. The bar’s full. People are shouting for DRS. The crowd isn’t just watching cricket — they’re living it. And when the final ball’s bowled? That’s when the second half of the evening begins.

At Sixes Manchester, matchdays blend straight into night outs. Music takes over. The lights dim slightly. The cocktail trees appear. Suddenly you’re not just watching cricket anymore — you’re in the middle of one of the liveliest social venues in the Corn Exchange.

This isn’t a place where you check your watch after the final over. It’s where the cricket gets the party started.

The Only “Sports Bar” Where Cricket Isn’t an Afterthought

Let’s be clear: Sixes might show sport, but it’s not your average sports bar. You won’t find nine screens showing nine different things. There’s no background Sky Sports News loop. And there’s definitely no one asking to switch to the darts.

Here, cricket isn’t filler. It’s the main event.

The venue’s setup is unapologetically built for fans. Big screens are placed where you can actually see them. Commentary is crisp. Staff know when something big’s happening — and don’t mind if the table cheers. There’s never a moment where you feel like the only person in the room watching the game.

That’s because Sixes doesn’t treat cricket like something to quietly tolerate in between drinks. It treats it like a celebration — and everything else (the bar, the food, the fun) just enhances the experience.

In Manchester, where football often dominates the screen, finding a venue that puts cricket first is rarer than a Kohli duck. But Sixes does it with intent — and fans notice.

Whether it’s the World Test Championship, a Friday night BBL clash, or a group stage T20 with everything on the line, this is a place that puts cricket where it belongs: centre stage.

Why Even Non-Cricket Fans Love It Here

Here’s the magic trick: you don’t need to love cricket to love watching cricket at Sixes.

Plenty of people walk in unsure about overs, wide balls, or why everyone’s yelling about “Bazball.” But give them 20 minutes — a net session, a drink, and a crowd yelling “Catch it!” — and suddenly they’re part of the mayhem.

Why? Because the experience is immersive. The cricket isn’t background noise, but it also isn’t gatekept. You don’t need to be an expert to feel the tension of a tight chase. Or appreciate the drama of a final over. Or join in the group groan when someone gets caught at cow corner.

And if the game slows down? No problem. Hit the nets. Try to beat your mate’s top score. Bet the next drink on who lasts the longest without getting bowled. You’re never just watching at Sixes — you’re participating, whether you know it or not.

This is especially true in Manchester, where social circles are diverse — football-first lads, casual fans, newcomers to the game. But Sixes brings them all in. Because the vibe is infectious. Because the sport is thrilling when the room treats it that way. And because cricket, done right, is genuinely fun — even for people who thought they’d hate it.

Where to Watch Cricket in Manchester — and Why It’s Not Even Close

If you still haven’t found your go-to spot for watching cricket in Manchester, let’s be honest: it probably doesn’t exist yet — because most venues aren’t built with cricket in mind.

They’re built for Premier League weekends. They cater to football crowds. Cricket, when it’s shown at all, is silent, squeezed in, or simply ignored.

Sixes changed that. It didn’t just make space for cricket — it made cricket the point. It’s the only place in the city where every wicket, every four, every appeal actually lands in a room full of people who get it. It’s where the screens are big, the sound is up, and the nets are waiting if you want to feel what it’s like to hit your own match-winner.

So when someone asks you where to watch cricket in Manchester, don’t bother with second-best.

Send them to Sixes. Send them to the Corn Exchange. Send them to a place where cricket isn’t part of the background — it’s the reason the whole room is buzzing.