“Cricket to us was more than play; It was worship in the summer sun.” – Edmund Blunden, famous English poet.
Cricket is a legendary bat-and-ball game. But more than just a game, it is a tradition passed on through contents, cultures, and time. For decades, Cricket was considered a game of gentleman. Twist and turns, fine pitch, bouncers, sweeps, lofts and elegant shoes. But how did this elite class “hitting a ball with a hand-held game” cliché step forward among others and evolve into India’s national sport being worshipped by millions of fanatics?
A Brief History of Cricket
The most extensive opinion where the game originates from is a children’s game in South England. The long-standing game derives its name from “cryce, a stick”. The word “criquet” also refers to a kind of club or stick in Old French. The game’s simple structure led to a fan base consisting of both working-class and “officers and gentlemen “. The Cricket matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury gathered large crowds flocking to the area. Back then, this spot was the most fantastic attraction centre in England. However, it was still an unexceptional ball-and-bat game from the outskirts of a city.
The rest is a familiar story; “The empire on which the sun never sets” spread the Cricket game overseas through its colonisation in India, Pakistan, Australia, the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, North America, South Africa, and New Zealand. Even decades after decolonisation, today, the Cricket game is deeply internalised and keeps its throne as the most popular sport in these regions.
Cricket in India
The very first Cricket club in India was established in 1792, yet it would take a century and a half until India’s national cricket team could attend its first match at Lord’s ((Lord’s Cricket Ground) on the date, 25 June 1932. The Lord’s was Cricket’s “World Cup” those days. The former King of the United Kingdom, George V, was in the beehive audience. Although the Indian Cricket team could not handle a trophy in its first fifty years of international cricket tournaments, the Golden Era of the Indian National Cricket team started in the early 70s. There was no team to stop its success overseas. After defeating New Zealand and having England, South Africa, and Australia to a draw, India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup under the captain-ship of brilliant rounder Kapil Dev. The team also grabbed the Asia Cup and the World Championship of Cricket in 1985.
An entire aspect of Cricket was set for the Indian nation. It became a symbol of independence, solidarity, and equality after the dark British rule for 200 years. Today, the country’s name first comes to mind for Cricket around the globe.
Undoubtedly, Cricket is an irreplaceable part of India’s culture, and Indian Cricket players of the 21st century are considered superstars. Moreover, the most-watched broadcasts are the Cricket matches between two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan.
Indian Cricket Season is here!
Since the first days of April have just come, all Cricket enthusiasts are looking forward to watching the local and international games breathlessly. Furthermore, most of them are searching for ways of sending money to India to participate in the year’s biggest event.
As Cricket lovers ourselves, our exquisite digital wallet, Jeton Wallet, provides you with the smoothest India money transfers in a blink of an eye. Would you like to learn more? Why don’t you look over our previous articles about how to transfer money to India and receive money in India?
