Cricket’s Global Rise: India’s Role in Worldwide Fandom
Cricket, once considered a sport tethered to the legacy of British colonialism, is now thriving across continents with a fan base spanning billions.
Central to this expansion is India, not just as a market, but as a force shaping the sport’s future. From redefining revenue models to influencing global governance, India’s imprint on cricket has never been more visible. But with influence comes scrutiny, and as the sport moves toward Olympic inclusion in 2028, striking a balance between growth and regulation is increasingly debated.
The Billion-Dollar Backbone of Cricket
India accounts for the single largest fan concentration in world cricket, with over 66% of its 1.4 billion people identifying as fans. This massive audience underpins the country’s media power, particularly through broadcast deals.
From 2024 to 2027, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is projected to generate $1.15 billion, contributing nearly 39% of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual revenue. This financial clout allows India to influence everything from scheduling matches to determining neutral venues for politically sensitive fixtures.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) exemplifies this economic influence. Overseen by the BCCI and closely linked with political figures such as Arun Dhumal, brother of a cabinet minister, the IPL isn’t merely a sports league. It’s a financial juggernaut that attracts the world’s top players and sponsors, reshaping the calendar of international cricket.
The IPL’s television rights deals and franchise valuations continue to define how the game is monetized globally, and the increased viewing numbers attract the attention of major global betting platforms like FanDuel Sportsbook.
When Politics and Cricket Converge
India’s dominance in cricket is no longer confined to revenue figures. It is also institutional. Jay Shah, son of India’s Home Minister and current BCCI secretary, was elected as the ICC chair in December 2024, unopposed. His dual role breaks from tradition, where previous ICC heads stepped down from national positions to maintain neutrality.
His predecessor, Greg Barclay, subtly criticized this shift, warning that such concentrated power distorts outcomes and risks stunting global development.
Examples of this influence are widespread. Following the 2025 Kashmir attack, Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach and former parliamentarian, publicly demanded a freeze on all bilateral ties with Pakistan.
Though this wasn’t officially adopted by the BCCI, it reflects how deeply national sentiment can shape cricket diplomacy. Notably, Pakistan has not played a bilateral series against India since 2013, and their 2025 Champions Trophy fixtures had to be moved to neutral venues after India refused to travel to Pakistan.
Beyond Borders: Cricket’s Expanding Global Canvas
Despite these internal power dynamics, cricket’s appeal is growing in new territories. The United States, with only 12.8% of its population expressing interest in cricket, might seem a minor player. But that number equates to millions of potential fans, many of whom are highly receptive to brand sponsorship. In fact, 71.9% of American cricket fans believe companies that back sports are worth following, far above the 51% national average.
52.2% of sports lovers in the UAE, another key emerging market, follow cricket. These regions are not only hosting IPL matches during political offseasons but are also vital hubs for cricket’s global operations and sponsorship activities. For brands, these potential growth markets mean opportunity, especially with major ICC events slated for global venues and cricket returning to the Olympics in 2028.
Cricket fans are also demonstrably loyal to sponsor brands. In India, 61.1% of fans prefer products from sponsors when price and quality are equal. Similar trends emerge in the UAE (69%) and the UK (44.3%). This loyalty translates into more than just sales. It becomes a measurable return on investment for companies willing to invest in cricket-centric campaigns.
Media, Marketing, and the Indian Advantage
India’s dominance is now extending into the very structure of cricket’s media narrative. Jiostar, a giant in Indian broadcasting, currently enjoys a $3 billion ICC media deal. Sanjog Gupta, its sports head, is a likely successor to ICC CEO Geoff Allardice.
If he is appointed, it would place two Indian nationals at the top of the ICC hierarchy, while Indian media entities maintain a deep financial stake in the game.
This alignment of leadership, media rights, and market size gives India a unique leverage over how the sport is portrayed and marketed.
It’s a situation that advertisers are watching closely. In India, 64.7% of fans report better brand recall when sponsors are tied to cricket, a number that rises to 74.3% in the U.S., showcasing how emotional engagement with the sport enhances marketing efficacy.
Furthermore, cricket fans are active participants in brand discovery. In the UAE, over 70% of fans seek out information on sponsoring brands. India sees 58.1% of its fans doing the same. This indicates a layered interaction, where cricket not only entertains but also guides consumer behavior, making it one of the most potent vehicles for brand storytelling in modern sports.
The Cultural Web Around Cricket
Cricket fandom often intertwines with broader sports interests. In India, football and Kabaddi (a high-intensity, contact team sport that originated in ancient India) remain top parallel attractions.
In the U.S., cricket shares space with baseball among fans. These overlaps allow for integrated campaigns, especially during peak sporting seasons. Marketers who understand this ecosystem, where loyalty transcends one sport, can craft strategies that speak to deeper passions.
In countries like Australia and New Zealand, cricket fans also follow rugby and Australian rules football. Meanwhile, the UK sees crossover interest in tennis and soccer. This diversity creates rich territory for cross-promotions and seasonal campaigns that tap into overlapping emotional drivers.
What This Means for Cricket’s Future
India’s rise in the cricket ecosystem is not just about national pride. It’s about steering a sport into new territories, business models, and formats. But as influence tightens, the rest of the cricketing world must find its own agency. Selecting neutral venues, changes in ICC leadership structure, and the exclusion of certain players are all signs that control comes at a cost.
Still, there’s little denying the role India plays in pushing cricket into the mainstream of global sports. With Olympic participation on the horizon, the sport is poised for its most public moment yet. How equitably that moment is shaped and who gets to share the spotlight remains the central question. India will undoubtedly be at the heart of that answer, for better or for worse.
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