The world's most cricket-crazed countries
India
Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai, India
Games of the British Empire, now called the Commonwealth Games, were played here in the 19th century, and it was from this hub that many Indians were introduced to cricket. In 1926, C.K. Nayadu famously leveled the playing field between British and Indian players, scoring 153 runs in less than two hours.
New Zealand
Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand
Cricket has been played in New Zealand since the 1830s, and it was at this cricket ground that the first men’s international Twenty20 was hosted in 2005. This updated form of cricket appealed to a new audience with a fast-paced game that lasts just a few hours.
Australia
Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust in Moore Park, Australia
The first international Test cricket match at this stadium was held in 1882, the same year Australia beat England on their home turf. A playful obituary for the English team read, “The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.” When England next competed in Australia and won, a perfume jar filled with “The Ashes” was awarded, and it remains the namesake of the oldest Test series.
South Africa
PPC Newlands Cricket Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa
In 2003, South Africa hosted the Cricket World Cup. Basil D'Oliveira, pictured here on the shoulders of his teammates the day he was picked to play for England, joined a ceremony on these grounds. Despite being one of South Africa's best cricketers, the apartheid regime had prevented him from ever batting here professionally.
Sri Lanka
Colombo Cricket Club in Colombo, Sri Lanka
This cricketing club is among the oldest in Sri Lanka, opening more than 150 years ago. Sri Lanka has held many international games here, including a match against England, who played before travelling to Australia where they won The Ashes in 1882. The national team has achieved historic wins, including taking home the Cricket World Cup in 1996.
Pakistan
National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan
Pakistan gained independence in 1947, but war broke out with India, and this fierce rivalry often found its way onto the cricket pitch. The team wasn’t granted Test status until 1952, and four decades later they brought home the Cricket World Cup for the first time. This stadium was once their training ground, but since 2009 terrorist attacks at Gaddafi Stadium, the team has played major games at United Arab Emirates grounds.
Bangladesh
Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh
When this Dhaka stadium was completed in 1970 to host football games, the country was still known as East Pakistan. In March 1971, the city hosted a game of cricket, but political protests ended the match early. The same year, Bangladesh was granted independence, but its cricket team, pictured here in 2019, struggled to afford basic equipment. Just a few decades later, the team beat Pakistan by 62 runs in the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
West Indies
Queen's Park Oval in the Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
The West Indies national team — also called the Windies — formed in the late 19th century when cricket grounds like this began opening. Almost a decade after the team’s 1975 World Cup win, they achieved a record-breaking 11 consecutive Test victories, cementing their world-class reputation.
United Kingdom
Lord's Cricket Ground in London, England
In 1787, Thomas Lord founded this iconic London cricket ground, famous for hosting memorable Test matches. Test cricket is the time-honored, five-day form of the game. The West Indies won the first Cricket World Cup final held here in 1975, and the tournament returns to Lord's in 2019.
Afghanistan
Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida, India
During the Afghan Civil War of the 1990s, Afghan refugees living in Pakistan picked up the game. The game's popularity surged in the region, and a national team was formed in 2001. Recent terrorist attacks have stopped the national team playing home games in Afghanistan; they often play and train at this Indian stadium instead. Despite this, the team qualified to play in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.