World Championship
India in a cricket frenzy – and now the Olympics beckons
The Cricket World Cup is the highlight of this year’s sporting calendar in many parts of the world. photo
© Rafiq Maqbool/AP/dpa
Cricket is a niche sport in Germany. Things are different in many parts of the world, as the World Cup in India is currently showing. Now the Olympic organizers also want to benefit from the billion-dollar business.
Hundreds of millions of people are currently in cricket fever – and hardly anyone in Germany notices it. The World Cup in India is not only the highlight of this year’s sports calendar for the billion-strong population, but is also captivating people in many parts of the world.
The Olympic organizers have long since discovered the huge business of sport, which is said to have the second largest fan base after football. At the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games, cricket will return to the competition after 128 years if the International Olympic Committee gives its approval at its general assembly in Mumbai starting on Sunday.
The location of the IOC vote couldn’t be more appropriate. Thanks to the World Cup, India is currently on a cricket frenzy. On Saturday there will be a highly explosive duel with neighboring country and arch-rival Pakistan. The rush for the game is so high that arriving fans even booked overnight stays in hospitals – including health checks – as hotels in the venue in the city of Ahmedabad were fully booked, as local media reported. A victory for India is fundamental for the World Cup atmosphere.
India are co-favorites for the title alongside England
Along with defending champions England, the hosts are among the ten participating teams among the favorites to triumph in the World Cup final, which is scheduled for November 19th after six weeks of tournament. 1.5 billion viewers will then be watching on TV screens worldwide. The importance of cricket in India can hardly be overestimated and is difficult for the German observer to understand from a distance. The sport has a niche existence in this country.
According to the German Cricket Association, there are around 15,000 active players nationwide. Almost all of them immigrated from the twelve major cricketing nations with high player standards and financial resources – including India and England. They all played at club level. “Germany is still a developing country when it comes to cricket,” says managing director Brian Mantle.
The hope of the few German fans is that cricket’s Olympic comeback will help bring it into the spotlight here too. The new Olympic sports are intended to “bring new athletes to the Games, appeal to diverse fan groups and expand the Games’ presence in the digital space,” says Los Angeles Olympic chief Casey Wasserman.
Cricket is a billion-dollar business in India
But of course financial aspects may also have played a role in the decision. For example, the Olympic media rights in India are currently worth around 15.6 million pounds (18 million euros), wrote the British “Guardian”. However, this number could increase to up to 150 million pounds (174 million euros) with the addition of cricket.
The British once brought cricket to their former colonies. Now sport is a billion-dollar business – especially in India. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most lucrative leagues ever with an annual turnover of around ten billion euros – twice as much as the Bundesliga.
In the IPL, some of the best professionals ever play in cricket’s comparatively short games called Twenty20, which only last a few hours – and not days like the original game played by the British colonial rulers. This format will also be played at the Olympics.
The World Cup also has sports political significance
Cricketers can become superstars and earn millions in South Asia. Former Pakistani professional Imran Khan even made it to the office of Prime Minister. This also shows the political dimensions of sport. In India, for example, Jay Shah, the son of Home Minister Amit Shah and one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s closest confidants, controls the local cricket board.
And when Modi was previously head of government of the state of Gujarat, he was also head of the local cricket board. Gujarat is also home to Ahmedabad’s largest cricket stadium, named after Modi himself. The arena for 132,000 spectators not only hosts the important game against Pakistan, but also the final.
The big cricket stage also has sports-political significance for India. If the tournament is a success, it could strengthen the plans of the world’s most populous country for its own Olympic bid. India could then become a competitor for Germany in the race for the 2036 Summer Games.