United States cricket team. / X@usacricket

In a typical American park, one is likely to find a basketball court, a baseball diamond, or even a football field. But lately, it’s not unknown to hear a bat hitting a hard leather ball, or the ball clattering into 3 sticks called wickets. That is because the game of cricket has seen a steady growth in popularity across the United States, where it was once relatively obscure.

One aspect many don’t know is that cricket, a British sport, has a very long history in the US. It was a favourite pastime in colonial America, and the first century of independence. George Washington, the nation’s first president, was quite fond of the game. The first ever international match involved the US and Canada in New York. However, with the rise of baseball in the latter half of the 1800s, cricket would fade into oblivion. Until the last few decades, that is, with the influx of immigrants from various nations where cricket is more a religion than sport. 

Thus, we have seen progress in growing the game here, with a talented USA cricket team, and professional cricket leagues like Major League Cricket (MLC) and the T10 National Cricket League. During the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024, the USA men’s side completed a dramatic upset against Pakistan in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie and went on to the subsequent “Super 8” stage of the tournament.

As a lifelong cricket fan that has grown up in America feeling circumspect about expressing my passion for a game not often heard about, it was amazing to see the enthusiasm for the sport on show. I’m overjoyed that more American kids can get an exposure to a game that has played such an important role in my lifetime. But ongoing challenges remain, and we needn’t stop now if we are to make cricket a norm in America.

First, we need for more new cricket venues. Much of the cricket you’d likely see in America is in public parks. For the moment, there are only a few permanent stadiums capable of hosting professional cricket matches in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. The Eisenhower Park pop-up ground ceases to exist as of now, despite welcoming throngs of fans for the T20 World Cup.

But the inadequacy of proper grounds means that many are unable to get convenient access to watch in person, due to longer distances and higher ticket prices. Not to mention existing venues like Florida suffer from poor drainage infrastructure. It’s good to see that the Oakland Coliseum (formerly the home of the MLB’s Oakland Athletics and NFL’s Oakland Raiders) will be used for the upcoming MLC season this year. If successful, it could lead to the creation of more permanent stadiums. 

Second, cricket should be a sport within the academic world (both universities and grade schools). Due to the lack of pathways for many children being in America to play cricket, many parents, including those who immigrated from cricketing nations, may not find it a worthwhile investment if no future is in sight. To change this, kids should get exposure to cricket through gym classes or athletics teams.

Procuring cricket equipment, starting some on-campus training facilities, and developing proper fields must be on the cards. In the realm of universities, cricket has not been recognised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which coordinates athletic programmes in universities. To make the push for this, there should be improvements to the cricketing infrastructure like those mentioned above for K-12 schools, as well as inter-college cricketing competitions. Existing university cricket clubs would do well to sell the sport on campus too.

Finally, the display of cricket matches on mainstream American sports channels must be a priority. Most other sports have had this for years (think NBC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, etc.). The only official cricket broadcaster for the US is Willow TV, but new fans can only use the streaming services if they pay $9.99/month. The last thing sport fanatics want is to be greeted with a paywall, hence the lack of attention towards major cricketing events beyond the existing fanbase.

It’s no wonder the 2024 World T20 was non-existent in the sports conversations beyond immigrant communities. Change can only be possible when cricket is available on free television. That way, potential cricket converts won’t have to worry about their wallets when attempting to catch the next game.

Cricket has gone to brand new heights within the United States. But with further investment and an Americanised can-do mentality, it may not be long before the game is a norm across this vast country. By then, we’d truly be getting the middle of the bat and hitting through the covers for four runs.

 

The author is a health insurance professional and a cricket enthusiast.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)