Cricket (Wikimedia Commons)
June 19, 2019 By Shane O’Brien
Albany has passed legislation that will lead to the creation of Cricket Task Force in New York that will conduct a comprehensive study of the game and work out ways to promote it across the state.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and State Sen. Kevin Thomas, creates a task force that will work out ways to market the sport that is big in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
The bill passed the Assembly on Monday and the Senate on June 12.
“Cricket, the second-most popular sport in the world, is becoming increasingly popular in the state of New York. The creation of the Empire State Cricket Task Force will help promote this exciting sport and identify potential economic development opportunities to help it grow and thrive,” Thomas said.
Rozic said that there are already a number of cricket leagues across New York and that the new Task Force would help the sport flourish.
“New Yorkers already welcome and support cricket with great enthusiasm. Cricket brings with it a massive audience — the second largest in the world — and economic development opportunities,” Rozic said.
The game was founded in England in the 16th century, but it was New York that hosted the first international cricket match in 1844 between the USA and Canada. The sport is big in many countries including Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The cricket world cup is currently taking place in England (see video).
Ashok Adikoppula, founder of the Capital District Cricket Association, welcomed the Task Force and said that it was “heartwarming” to see an attempt to revive cricket in a state where it was once so popular.
