Cricket is a Game That Fascinates Celebrities and Ordinary Fans Alike

Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer. On October 16 cricket begins its World Twenty20 Championship in Australia. Most Europeans are unlikely to have heard of the competition or the sport.

Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer. Most cricket fans live in India. The last T20 championship in 2016 was watched by 820 million people in that country alone. Cricket is gaining popularity among ordinary people and celebrities.  We will tell you how the game of the invading colonizers won the hearts of enslaved Indians and why it still enjoys popularity.

Cricket is a popular game in India. It was played by Gandhi and other independence movement leaders. However, it did not help to strengthen the colony's ties with the metropolis. Three days of unrest broke out in 1921 during a visit to the tournament of Prince of Wales. The tournament was not held at all in 1930-1934 because of nationwide civil disobedience actions initiated by the Gandhi. In 1934, India organized an alternative cricket championship based on geography, the Ranji Trophy. Competitions in Bombay drew fewer spectators and were held for the last time in 1946. India and Pakistan gained independence in 1947.

There were three days of unrest in 1921 during a visit to the cricket tournament of the Prince of Wales. In 1930-1934, the tournament was not held at all because of nationwide civil disobedience actions initiated by Gandhi.

After independence, cricket has become a manifestation of national self-expression in India and Pakistan. The Indian Premier League (IPL), which follows the T20 rules, is increasing in popularity. In 2020, Duff & Phelps valued the IPL brand at $6.1 billion. Star India bought the rights to broadcast IPP matches for $2.55 billion over five years. This month, the Cricket Control Board of India sold the right to organize two new teams for $1.6 billion, and Donald Trump chose Ahmedabad Cricket Stadium for his public address.

In 2010, the Pakistani team traveled to London to play the English. Mohammad Amir twice stepped out of bounds during the game. Another player, Mohammad Asif, made the same mistake. Salman Butt, captain of Pakistan’s national team, arranged the scam in exchange for a bounty. He was offered the money by a local journalist. All three players were put on trial in 2011 and were suspended from cricket for ten years. They were later sentenced to 5 years in prison.

There are many cricket match-fixing cases. Indian bookmaker Sanjeev Chawla was extradited to India and charged with match fixing. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are investigating. Waseem Akram is suspected of matchfixer. He was disqualified in 2000. He is now a cricket commentator. The International Cricket Federation is also investigating the matter. It is alleged that Sri Lankan players are under suspicion.

Robert Pires, Nicolas Anelka, Freddy Junberg, and Diego Forlan came to India in 2014-2015. They tried to raise the level of soccer in the country, but it seems that soccer is not needed in India and neighboring countries.