Cricket has been a brand ambassador and game changer for India’s bilateral relations with many countries.
According to the latest United Nations report, India has the largest population of non-resident Indians (NRIs) at 18 million. While this population is scattered in many countries around the world, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and the United States together account for about 50 percent of this population.
When the first ball of the Indian Premier League 2020 was bowled on 19 September, it was the second time that cricket-extra play had taken place outside India. It seems that the expatriate population is yearning for more crickets in the places where they live.
In the post-Covid era, with different countries having different COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, traveling for fun is still a challenge for many. Hotel quarantine, RT PCR tests, and the fear of testing positive in another country still looms large among travelers who were frequent fliers till now.
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“Wherever Indians are settled, cricket is in their blood. We are connected to a large NRI population and we get requests from Indians abroad on how they can be a part of cricket leagues,” said Kanthi D Suresh, Editor-in-Chief of PowerSportz.
Many Indian youth living abroad play cricket diligently even in non-cricketing environment. It is a familiar sight in America to see Indians renting football and baseball fields for their matches and practicing in indoor batting cages.
Binil, an Indian blue-collar employee who has worked for a spare-parts company in Kuwait for many years, said, “Kuwait has close to a million Indians and they would love to see international cricketers in their city, to enjoy world-class action. You can see your favorite players in flesh and blood and get their autographs.”
There are currently only 12 full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and all cricket activities revolve around these 12 countries. About 100 countries are still Associate Members, with a good interest in cricket, but are still deprived of the competitive cricket competitions as enjoyed by Full Members.
Now, with the ICC strongly advocating cricket in the Olympics, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more IPL-type properties in more destinations around the world.
The goal of promoting T20 leagues in these areas will include cricket-related initiatives, sponsorship, mentorship, broadcasting and talent management and opportunities for overseas youth for whom cricket comes naturally.
Kanthi D Suresh said, “We are working strongly on hosting and streaming T20 cricket leagues in destinations with a large Indian diaspora that miss out on some good international-quality cricket depending on where they live. ” Now, the launch dates are almost being finalised.
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