It’s a sweltering July afternoon in Texas, with the temperature climbing above 90 degrees. Seemingly oblivious to the heat, about 7,000 die-hard fans of all ages have packed this sold-out cricket stadium on the outskirts of Dallas. They’re waving yellow flags, blowing yellow whistles, and beating drums to cheer on their hometown team, the Texas Super Kings, whose players are clad in bright-yellow uniforms.
When one of the team’s batters connects on a booming “six,” cricket’s answer to a home run, fireworks explode, frenzied fans roar with delight, and players share high-fives.
This unbridled passion for cricket is commonplace in England, where the game originated, and in India and Pakistan, where enthusiasm for the world’s second-most popular sport (after soccer) approaches a religious fervor. And now it’s finally making serious inroads with American sports fans, with Texas playing a starring role.