Cricket, once a popular sport in mid-1800s America, is making a high-profile return to North American shores with the T20 World Cup. However, the big question remains: can cricket capture the imagination of an American audience largely unfamiliar with the sport?
While India drives the global cricket fanbase, the International Cricket Council (ICC) sees vast potential in the U.S. market, boasting an existing 30 million cricket fans across the country. The T20 World Cup is not only a major event in itself but is also viewed as a crucial stepping stone toward cricket’s return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Starting June 1, a total of 16 matches will be played in the U.S. across New York, Dallas, and Lauderhill, with the remaining 55 matches, including the knockouts, scheduled in the Caribbean. Day three of the competition will feature South Africa facing Sri Lanka in New York, a significant venue as it hosted the first international cricket match between the USA and Canada in 1844. Cricket was widely played in America during that era before baseball surged in popularity during the Civil War in the 1860s.
West Indian cricket legend Brian Lara acknowledges the entertainment value of T20 cricket but also points out the challenges of selling the sport in the U.S. “You know, you speak to an American and I’ve done that many times and they’d say, ‘you play a game for five days and then you end up in a draw? What’s that all about?’ So, it is difficult,” he says, emphasizing the need to promote the shorter, more dynamic T20 format.
However, a couple of weeks of international cricket might not be enough to cultivate lasting interest among the local audience. To expand beyond the South Asian and Caribbean expatriate communities, more time and effort are needed. Cricket’s complexity, with terms like “third man,” “fine leg,” and “deep mid-wicket,” can be daunting for beginners.
The ICC is making concerted efforts to engage with American fans, enlisting eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt as the World Cup ambassador and promoting the event at the recent Formula 1 race in Miami. To compete with baseball, the NFL, and the NBA, cricket must grow at the grassroots level.
“I surely think the game can grow in the USA. When you have presence in a country, people start gravitating towards it and want to know more,” Bolt told PTI, expressing optimism about cricket’s potential in America.
The U.S. team, comprising primarily players of South Asian and Caribbean descent, will make its World Cup debut, giving local fans a reason to tune in. USA Cricket head Venu Pisike believes the ICC event will raise awareness, with the 2028 Olympics providing a significant draw.
“So far, cricket is predominantly an expats’ game, but with the marketing and promotion activities during the World Cup, there is some momentum,” Pisike said. “The World Cup will definitely boost opportunities to expand the game in the USA.”
Nisarg Patel, an India-born member of the USA squad, emphasizes the need for cricket to offer career prospects to American youth. “Ultimately, what needs to change in the USA is that an American kid in high school needs to see a future in the game,” says Patel, who balances his cricketing career with a full-time job at a medical research company in Los Angeles.
The launch of Major League Cricket last year marked a significant step towards professionalizing the sport in the U.S. However, capturing the attention of a nation with a rich and diverse sporting culture remains a formidable challenge for the ICC and other stakeholders. (With inputs from PTI)
