The love for cricket as a sport is no secret in Commonwealth countries like India, South Africa, and Australia. It is the second most popular sport in the world, right after football. Cricket acts as a significant money-making market, earning approximately Rs 48,000 crore with just a single season of IPL. The craze for cricket has grown so much that even USA has embraced this bat and ball sport. Now, the question arises as to why they would adopt cricket when they already have a bat and ball game called baseball. The reasons may vary, from the game’s immense money-making potential to its increasing fanbase in the US. However, there is a man who makes things happen. With his help, we are going to witness the first professional cricket tournament in the US.
Yes, the first season of Major League Cricket is set to premiere on July 14, 2023. The opening match will be between the Texas Super Kings and the Los Angeles Knight Riders. This will be the inaugural T-20 league in the US, featuring a total of six teams, including several international players. The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with teams competing for a single trophy. Star players from various countries, such as Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, and Andre Russell from the West Indies, Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Finch from Australia, as well as Jason Roy and Rashid Khan, will be participating. Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith will provide insightful commentary.
All of this is possible because of one Indian man named Anurag Jain, an entrepreneur in the US and the co-owner of the Texas Super Kings. Jain’s efforts have played a vital role in introducing this game to the US. Thanks to his dedication, Major League Cricket was able to capture the attention of companies like Adobe Inc and Microsoft. Additionally, even Shahrukh Khan has invested in a cricket stadium in LA.
Anurag Jain’s goal was to popularize cricket in America, particularly at the professional level. He aimed to bring the sport to the forefront in the hearts of Americans. Cricket has been gaining popularity in the US, especially in areas with significant South Asian communities such as Houston, New York, Los Angeles, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which has a large Indian-American population of over 220,000.
With so much hype surrounding this tournament, we can hope for an entertaining league that could act as a boost to bring cricket into the mainstream in the US.
