By The United States, which is co-hosting the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with the West Indies, is witnessing tremendous growth and success in the game of cricket thanks in large part to non-resident players from South Asia and the Caribbean.
Numerous members of the U.S. national team are of South Asian descent, including Saurabh Netravalkar and Milind Kumar. Left-arm fast bowler Netravalkar was a member of India’s Under-19 team before relocating to the US for employment. In the World Cup, he will play against his former Indian teammates as a crucial component of the US team.
Significant media attention and enthusiasm have been generated by the US team’s unexpected victory over Pakistan in the tournament’s opening match, especially among the South Asian diaspora in the US. With hundreds of club teams and matches held in public parks around major cities, this community has been a major contributor to cricket’s rising popularity across the nation.
The US’s South Asian and Caribbean populations’ growing prominence and shifting demographics are indicators of a larger change in cricket’s global power dynamics. Traditional cricket strongholds like the UK and Europe are losing ground to developing regions in the Middle East and South Asia in terms of power balance.
This change is reflected in the increased financial influence of these areas in cricket as well as the rise in the number of players from these backgrounds who play for national teams and premier leagues across the globe. The US team’s participation, supported by a diverse player base, might contribute to the sport’s globalization beyond its current geographic bounds when cricket makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.
