Cricket is such a game. In India, every child knows it, it is on everyone’s lips, from small to big, but if we look at the same in Europe, we see the opposite. Well, being popular is not a small thing. To popularize any game, one has to send the right players to the country and more than that, tournaments are as important as any other game. If you look at any successful team, there is a strong commitment behind it. Players have to pay a lot of attention to their food diet and body exercise and work very hard.
Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world in terms of viewership. In the world, cricket is ranked second only to football and soccer. Every sport has certain oddities, though, and cricket is no exception. Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that a large portion of Europe is not involved in cricket.
Countries where cricket is popular
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
- Afghanistan
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- Australia
- England
List of European countries
- Germany
- France
- Switzerland
- Spain
- Italy
- Sweden
- Denmark
colonies of the British
In countries that were once British colonies, cricket is popular. It encompasses nations including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. Cricket did not become popular in European nations since the British did not occupy those areas. There are a number of reasons why Britain refrained from colonizing Europe, but we’ll talk about those later.
In terms of cricket, the only leisure activities available to British administrators stationed in the colonies were matches. Locals became interested in the sport, and it grew in popularity over time. Cricket remained a popular sport in several commonwealth nations even after the British withdrew.
Cricket is Slow-paced game
The plodding tempo of cricket was not a popular pastime in Europe. This is particularly true if there were other fast-paced activities like soccer accessible. People had little time for laborious sports like cricket at that time because Europe was going through significant changes.
Weather conditions in Europe
Cricket was not suited to the weather in many European nations. For cricket players, staying outside in the cold for hours at a time presented a significant difficulty. This is an additional explanation for why cricket did not become popular in Europe.
Europe may not be the biggest fan of cricket, but that might all change in the future. With more thrilling and fast-paced variants like 20/20 tournaments, cricket might become more popular in European nations. Additionally, cricket is expected to draw additional nations in the upcoming years as it develops into a sport with significant financial potential.
Role of BCCI in cricket indusrty
Fortunately, another of BCCI’s “creation” initiatives, the IPL, might be the key to attracting spectators to the sport in unconventional locations. The 20-over variant of the original five-day tournament may be the final chance to popularize cricket in uncharted territory like Europe. I’m eager for the day when I watch Russians argue over Sachin and Bradman’s magnificence in random YouTube videos!
If cricket was an Olympic sport
Had cricket been an Olympic sport, offering its brightest athletes a chance to perform for millions of fans on a truly global stage, it could have drawn in some new fans. However, BCCI’s astounding lack of vision has practically eliminated that prospect. They’ve made sure the sport isn’t even included in the Asian or Commonwealth Games.
Efforts European cricket federation
The European Cricket Council, which was subsequently reorganized as the European Cricket Federation, has made every effort to increase the game’s popularity throughout Europe. But to put it plainly, the level of success thus far has been moderate. Its complicated restrictions have been the main obstacle to the sport’s ability to break down barriers. The same rule does not apply when the ball pitches outside the leg stump, however it is difficult to explain to a novice why striking your pad after the ball pitches outside the off stump can get you out. A newbie would rarely be able to understand why a five-day match could conclude in a draw, and we haven’t even discussed the Duckworth Lewis technique, which even cricket players find difficult to understand.