The first world cup in the U.S. is being brought to the country by cricket, a major industry in India, and its star power.

• For the first time, the Cricket World Cup will be held in the U.S. in June, signifying an effort to expand the sport's popularity in North America.
• In countries such as India and Pakistan, cricket is extremely popular. According to Forbes, the average value of an Indian Premier League team has surpassed $1 billion, and investors are paying attention.
• The historic World Cup has the potential to pave the way for soccer's future in the U.S., according to both experts and fans.

For the first time in June, the U.S. will host a major cricket world cup, marking a new chapter in the sport's growth in the country.

Cricket, a sport similar to baseball, originated in England and gained popularity there. However, the game has experienced significant growth in India, the most populous country in the world, as well as some other former British colonies.

Cricket in the U.S. has traditionally been popular among immigrants and their offspring. However, Major League Cricket gave the sport a significant boost in 2023 with the introduction of six teams, including the Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom.

The U.S. men's national cricket team will compete in the International Cricket Council Men's T20 World Cup, which is the shortest and most popular form of the sport. While traditional cricket matches can take up to five days, a T20 match usually lasts around three hours.

The 2022 World Cup is being jointly hosted by the U.S. and the West Indies, with games taking place in three U.S. stadiums in Texas, Florida, and New York, as well as various venues in the West Indies.

Peter Della Penna, a former ESPN cricket writer, stated that this is a historic opportunity for the U.S.

Success in India

Cricket has gained popularity in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies, but it has made the biggest impact in India, where it is the most popular sport with a population of over 1.4 billion people, according to Statista.

The sports business in the Asian subcontinent, particularly in India, is dominated by cricket, accounting for 85% of the country's national sports spending in 2022, as per ISPO.

In 2023, Disney Star Network's broadcast of the IPL tournament attracted a record 505 million viewers in India, surpassing the previous record of 490 million viewers.

According to Forbes, the average value of an IPL team has surpassed $1 billion, and investors are paying attention. In June 2021, private equity firm RedBird acquired a 15% stake in IPL team Rajasthan Royals for $37.5 million.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India sold television and digital broadcasting rights for a record $6.2 billion, giving the IPL the second-highest per-match value for a sporting league in the world, behind the NFL, according to Jay Shah, honorary secretary of the BCCI.

The upcoming June World Cup matches will feature some of the world's top players, including India and Pakistan, and ultimately, the United States.

"The U.S.-India match has already sold out with 34,000 seats at the venue in New York, according to Della Penna. This indicates the magnitude of the opportunity that the U.S. will have during the world cup, with an unprecedented television audience for any match the U.S. has ever been involved with before, considering the Indian market and other markets like England or Australia."

The ICC's decision to host part of the world cup in the U.S., particularly the India-Pakistan match, was a strategic move to capitalize on the potential for growth in the country, according to USA Cricket. The tournament will take place a few years before cricket is set to debut in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Nearly two decades of covering cricket, Della Penna stated that the move is driven by financial motivations.

Della Penna stated that the ICC intentionally scheduled the India and Pakistan match in the United States to cater to the millions of South Asian diaspora cricket fans residing in the country.

Tasmai Krishnan, a teenage cricket enthusiast in India and host of podcast "Cricstatic," stated that cricket is an "essential element" of Indian culture. As pickleball gains popularity, Tasmai hopes that cricket will also increase in the U.S. He is curious to observe how the U.S. will fit into the global cricket circuit following the World Cup.

"From an Indian perspective, this development presents a new opportunity for cricket because it allows for the inclusion of another country that will become a formidable competitor in the future, according to Tasmai. This is a valuable learning experience for the U.S. team, and seeing the U.S. participate fills my heart with joy."

'A dream come true'

Della Penna stated that the match between the U.S. and India will present Indian Americans with an intriguing dilemma when deciding which country to support.

George Samuel, a resident of Nassau County, New York, where some of the world cup games will take place, is the head coach and director of Queens United Cricket Academy. Though he immigrated to the U.S. from India in 1987, he also coached cricket in England, Australia, and South Africa. When he arrived in New York, he wanted to pass down the sport.

"I was thrilled to learn that the World Cup would be held in my backyard," he exclaimed, "I never imagined this would happen when I moved to this country — it's a dream come true."

Samuel, having secured his tickets, stated that he believes this World Cup will serve as a starting point for cricket to gain popularity in the U.S. However, he does not plan on supporting either team in the final match.

"I enjoy watching good cricket. I lack loyalty. I want the U.S. to display impressive talent, and I want to see a great bat, bowl, and numerous sixers," he stated.

Despite their Indian heritage, Samuel's son, Jeremy, stated that he supports the U.S. team because he aspires to play cricket professionally for that country.

Along with his friends, who have not seen a major cricket match before, Jeremy also possesses tickets for the World Cup.

"It's really thrilling to be able to witness it here — it's just 15 minutes away from my home," he exclaimed. "This is a significant milestone for us to finally experience one. ... It brings me joy because now more individuals will become aware of cricket and will begin to play it."

Others are more interested in supporting the Indian team against its traditional rivals.

Mythili Sankaran, a California resident who has watched every match India has played in the last 25 years, stated that she is not watching the U.S.-India match and is traveling to New York solely for the India-Pakistan match of the world cup.

Sankaran, who played cricket at the university level in India before immigrating to the U.S., stated that growing up in India with the Indian team, they were always the underdogs. However, now India is one of the most, if not the most, promising and powerful team in world cricket.

""I never thought I'd watch an India-Pakistan match in the U.S. as an international cricket match, but I believe the cricket audience in the U.S. is maturing largely due to Indian Americans, and it's about time," she said."

Sankaran stated that she hopes the World Cup signifies the beginning of a new era.

"I hope more people in the U.S. get to see the women's cricket team," she said. "The team is doing well, so I'm hoping for increased awareness and visibility."