Cricket in South Asia

[1] Cricket has helped shape national identities across South Asia,[7] contributing to the self-esteem of peoples throughout the region and creating cultural bonds between them.

[8][9][10] The game has played a role in reducing caste discrimination and other social barriers among South Asians.

[11][12] Cricket's role in South Asia has often been associated with local geopolitical events; for example, India-Pakistan matches have been affected and even cancelled at times due to tensions between the two countries,[13][14] while the opposing sides in the Sri Lankan Civil War were willing to declare a ceasefire for the duration of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

[15][16] Cricket started to become the most popular sport in South Asia around the time of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup victory, overtaking the previous local favorite field hockey.

[22] Cricket has been suggested by a number of commentators as a possible way to create peace between the two countries.

The 2023 Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan.
One reason for cricket's initial adoption in South Asia was its similarity to local games , such as gilli-danda (pictured above) and seven stones . [ 2 ]
An Afghan soldier playing cricket. Afghan refugees who lived in Pakistan and India brought the sport back to Afghanistan, and it is now one of the most popular sports in the country. [ 6 ]