While cricket remains relatively alien to many Americans, the passion of South Asian immigrants has propelled the USA Cricket team to reach the 2024 T20 World Cup Super-Eight round. In this ongoing remarkable voyage, the USA team triumphed over the cricketing giant Pakistan and had a close loss against India.
Although the USA’s phenomenal performance may have surprised many sports media gurus and the general public, those who have been following USA cricket closely are not entirely astonished.
Before the T20 World Cup started, the team clinched a remarkable 2-1 series victory against Bangladesh. And last summer, history was made in American cricket with the debut of the nation’s first top-tier professional T20 league, Major League Cricket (MLC).
The second most watched sport globally after soccer, cricket is witnessing a significant rise in its global financial influence. The Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, on average, are now worth over $1 billion, and the media rights deal is valued at over $6 billion.
However, cricket has traditionally thrived only in Commonwealth countries. In recent years, its popularity has extended beyond these traditional borders, reaching a more global audience.
In the Middle East, countries such as Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar have seen a rise in their affinity for cricket. Similarly, countries in the Western Hemisphere, like the USA and Canada, have also experienced a growing enthusiasm for this sport. This surge can largely be attributed to the transformative influence of South Asians, who, with their unwavering passion and dedication, have brought their love and expertise of cricket to these regions from their home nations.
From Anglicization Policy of Integration to Resistance Against the Colonizers
Cricket, often called the “gentleman’s game,” is believed to have its oldest roots in south-east England, dating back to Saxon or Norman times.
By 1611, it had evolved into both a children’s game and an adult sport. The 17th century marked the development of village cricket and the formation of the first county teams. The 18th century was a period of significant advancements, with the establishment of the first written Laws of Cricket in 1744 and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord’s in 1787. However, the true global spread of cricket began through English colonies, reaching diverse regions like North America, the West Indies, India, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa by the early 19th century.
Researchers underscore that the British advanced cricket in different colonies as an element of their wider Anglicization strategy, urging the native populations to embrace English values. Likewise, promoting cricket in India was a method for the British to foster allegiance to the British Empire, thereby supporting their colonial rule.
In early Indian cricket history, it’s reported that various groups in the Indian subcontinent strategically adopted the sport to integrate with the British colonizers.
For many, especially those from an elite background, embracing this British pastime was a calculated move to climb the social ladder in colonial society. For example, the Parsi community in Bombay (now Mumbai) was among the first Indian groups to embrace cricket. In 1848, they formed the Oriental Cricket Club. This move not only provided the Parsis with social and economic opportunities by building close rapport with the colonial rulers but also inspired other communities to follow suit.
However, cricket also provided a means for the former colonial subjects to challenge the Empire by beating them in their sports.
As Indians honed their skills and competitiveness in cricket, the game underwent a transformation from a tool of colonial integration to a potent symbol of resistance.
After the partition and the end of the British Raj (rule) from the Indian sub-continent in 1947, both Pakistan and India found cricket to be a means of national pride and unique national identity development among the former British colonies.
One of the most memorable moments came in 1971 when India secured its first-ever test series victory against England on their soil.
This achievement was considered a moment of defiance in the Indian sub-continent, as India showcased its ability to not only compete but also overcome their former colonizers. Other former colonies (e.g., West Indies and Pakistan) also echoed similar sentiments—cricket victories against England were celebrated as acts of defiance and symbols of growing national identity.
Re-emergence of National Affinity, Nostalgia, and Identity Formation
Cricket in the US has a long history dating back to the early 18th century; its existence was chronicled for the first time in 1709 in America. Initially introduced via European immigration, cricket gained popularity in the US in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
But as baseball rose to become the national pastime after the Civil War, cricket’s popularity waned nationwide.
Nonetheless, the tide is beginning to turn in recent years due to the substantial immigration of South Asian individuals to the United States. This influx has brought renewed enthusiasm for cricket, with immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka seeking to maintain a connection to their cultural roots through the sport.
Additionally, many South Asian families living in the United States wish for their first-generation children to maintain a connection to their cultural heritage and thus encourage their participation in cricket. With the emergence of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA, numerous South Asian cricketers who cannot get into their national cricket teams for various reasons are migrating or looking to migrate to the U.S. because of the long-term professional and economic benefits potentially available in this country.
The current resurgence of cricket in the USA also reflects a broader re-emergence of national affinity among South Asian immigrants, who, while assimilating into American society, also strive to affiliate with their home countries through their love of cricket.
This dual identity is fostering a unique cricketing culture in the USA, blending American ambition with South Asian passion.
However, it’s yet to be seen if cricket’s global roots can help it become a major and popular sport in the U.S. and/or possibly retake the position it once had over baseball.
America’s Cricket “Miracle”: Integration, Defiance, or Immigrants Nostalgia? was written by:
Umer Hussain– Umer is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Wilkes University, USA. His research areas include exploring the intersection of race, religion, and gender in sports. He has made significant contributions to the field through numerous publications in academic journals and has actively shared his insights at international conferences and other educational avenues. Cricket is Hussain’s second love after his family.
Dr. Simran Kaur Sethi– Dr. Sethi earned her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a focus on Intercollegiate Athletic Administration from the University of Oklahoma in May 2024. She will join the University of Kentucky as an Assistant Professor of Sports Leadership in Fall 2024. A former professional tennis player for India and a college athlete for the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Sethi advocates for equity and inclusion in intercollegiate athletics and professional sports, particularly for international athletes. Her research addresses ICA experiences in U.S. higher education, including access, equity, exploitation, and career readiness, and she champions fair Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for ICAs. She is passionate about cricket and enjoys playing, watching, and writing about cricketers and their migration stories.
