ICC relies heavily on migrants to fuel cricket growth in Germany

NEW DELHI: Often criticized for its inability to make cricket a global sport, the ICC has based its hopes on South Asian migrants in Germany and the US to extend the footprint of the gambling on the untapped markets of Europe and the Americas.

Campbell Jamieson, General Manager – Commercial at the International Cricket Council (ICC), said that sport is growing rapidly in Germany, which is home to a large South Asian population.

The ICC has 104 members, but only 12 of them play Cricket Test.

"Cricket is expanding, Germany is a very good example, and in the last five years we have grown from 50 to 500 cricket teams and have struggled to keep up with the pace of sport infrastructure and governance. We need to ensure that cricketers in this country can still play the sport they love, "Jamieson told PTI on Wednesday.

Initially, economic migrations from Cricket-loving India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka fueled the growth of the sport in Germany, but recently the growing number of Afghan refugees is pushing the game beyond big cities.

According to statistics from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees until 2016, there were at least 46,292 registered Afghan refugees in the country.

"The migrant population of the cricket countries is contributing to the growth of the game in Germany, and if you mix that with the local players, you get inclusive growth." The migration of people from South Asia contributes to this growth and we are lucky in this case. "said Jamieson.

The sport is also experiencing rapid growth in the United States, which has recently been recognized by former West Indies drummer Ricardo Powell, who is now a selector within the United States national team.

"If you look at the current national team, 70% of the team members are of Indian origin.There is a huge Indian population in the United States and we have 250 clubs playing the game. That says a lot about cricket in the United States, "Powell told PTI.

At the moment, there is no CCI-recognized association in the United States, but the country is in the process of reclaiming its members, Jamieson said.

"North America has also experienced a great expansion thanks to the migration of people from the Caribbean and India, of course.We must seize this opportunity to allow people to play the game that's going on." they like, "he said.

Speaking about the ICC's bid for the inclusion of women's cricket at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Jamieson seemed optimistic.

"Hopefully the bid will be successful and the women's match will be advanced, and from a cricket and Commonwealth Games perspective, the two are very complimenting and the CWG can use the power, strength and support that cricket has worldwide.

"There is a rich history in the UK of cricket, excellent facilities and infrastructure, but as I said, it is only an application associated with some number of sports. "

On the ever-increasing threat of corruption in cricket with the advent of T20 leagues around the world, Mr. Jamieson said that it was imperative that the sport be governed properly.

"In my opinion, the growth of leagues globally is good news for the game, but at the same time, cricket must be governed and administered properly," he added.