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Often hailed as a religion in the subcontinent, cricket owes much of its global popularity and enduring appeal to its passionate fans. The undying loyalty of fans and their unwavering chants, cheers and support – even in hopeless situations – lend a special allure to the game.
With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 being hosted for the first time in the USA, many of these fans are vocal and visible in large numbers at venues where teams are playing a sport that has few takers among native Americans. However, the expatriates from South Asia, who have kept their love and commitment for cricket alive even when playing or watching their favourite sport is a tough task in the USA, are thronging to the cities hosting World Cup matches with ever-increasing enthusiasm.
Among the most fascinating fans we met is Waqar, who migrated from Pakistan in 2003. Hailing from Peshawar, Waqar was crazy about cricket and loved to play the game whenever he got a chance in his childhood, be it in the Pakistani galis or the grounds.
Despite living in the USA for 21 years, Waqar's love for cricket remains undiminished. Thrilled that international cricket is being played in New York, a dream he never thought possible when he first moved to the USA, Waqar drives two hours from his home in New Jersey to witness the matches.
His dedication extends to his backyard, where Waqar has created a pitch to train his son. Running the risk of irking his Pakistani family and friends, Waqar proudly admires Virat Kohli.
Waqar also creates cricket videos on YouTube. Before the T20 World Cup, he became a window to the world by showcasing the construction of the new Nassau Stadium.
Like Waqar, we met plenty of ardent fans who came from places like Toronto, Atlanta and Los Angeles, covering long distances. At an Indian eatery called the Punjabi Dhaba, we had a warm interaction with a group of Indian-origin Canadians who drove for over ten hours to come and watch the World Cup games in New York. Keen to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricketers in real life, each member of the group was thrilled to watch a World Cup game and they asserted in unison that “we don’t mind any travel. The long hours were worth it.”
Besides the kids' excitement, the adults in the Canadian group also had an important message for all parents. Speaking about his family’s penury in the initial years after they migrated, Nishad from Toronto had a heartfelt message to share when he revealed:
The India-Pakistan showdown was, of course, the high point of the games in New York. When we reached the stadium, we felt as though we had entered a carnival. There were chanting, laughing, and dancing that added a festive flavour and countless fans were waving flags of the two nations all over the Nassau stadium.
In effect, fans were creating an electrifying atmosphere that had to be seen to be believed. Though the India-Pakistan rivalry is iconic and the clash this time was also an intense thriller, what was encouraging was that there was no sign of bitterness, unlike matches in the subcontinent, which often leads to public display of anger, predominantly at the expense of TV sets. Instead, even as they cheered for their respective teams, the camaraderie between Indian and Pakistani fans was most heartening!
Parallels can be drawn with the story of Sachin Tendulkar’s brother, Ajit Tendulkar. While he couldn't play the game himself, Ajit inspired Sachin to become a cricket legend. Many of those gathering in New York are keen to pass on cricket as a legacy to their kids.
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