Cricket has arrived in the United States — and it's not leaving.
The 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA, brought international cricket to stadiums in Dallas, New York, and Florida for the first time. Over 2.7 million Americans visited the ICC website and app during the tournament — a 370% increase from 2022. USA Cricket's national team stunned Pakistan in a Super Over and reached the Super Eight round. Major League Cricket (MLC) is now in full swing with six professional franchises across the country.
If you've been curious about cricket but didn't know how to start playing cricket in the USA, this is the guide for you. Whether you're a South Asian or Caribbean expat who grew up watching the game, an American who caught the T20 World Cup fever, or a parent looking for a new sport for your child — there is a place for you in cricket, and getting started is simpler than you think.
Cricket Is Booming in the USA — Here's Why Now Is the Best Time to Start
Cricket is now the second-most watched sport in the world, and the USA is rapidly becoming one of its fastest-growing markets. Here's what's driving the growth:
Major League Cricket launched its inaugural season in 2023, with teams based in Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. The league is expanding and bringing world-class international players to American soil.
USA Cricket's national team has made extraordinary strides. In 2024, they defeated Pakistan — a nation that has produced some of the greatest cricketers in history — in one of the biggest upsets the sport has ever seen.
The diaspora effect. The United States is home to millions of South Asian, Caribbean, British, and Australian immigrants for whom cricket is not a foreign sport — it's home. More than 300,000 players are registered across the country, with thriving leagues in every major metropolitan area.
Community cricket is everywhere. From weekend tape-ball games in parking lots to organized club leagues in city parks, informal cricket is already happening near you.
Do You Need Any Experience to Play?
No. And this surprises most Americans.
Cricket clubs across the USA actively welcome complete beginners. Most clubs run beginner programs, coaching sessions, and social formats designed specifically for people who have never held a bat. Many clubs also play with a tennis ball for new players — eliminating the intimidation of a hard leather ball entirely while you learn the basics.
The sport's learning curve is real, but the community is generous. Cricket culture values teaching the game to new players, and you'll find that experienced club members are almost always happy to mentor beginners.
How to Find a Cricket Club Near You
Finding a local club is the single most important step, and it's easier than you'd expect.
USA Cricket's Club Finder at usacricket.org/club-finder is the official directory. Search by zip code or city and you'll see affiliated clubs and leagues in your area.
Regional Associations run local leagues across the country. Major cricket hubs include:
- New York / New Jersey — one of the largest cricket communities in the world outside of the subcontinent; dozens of leagues and clubs at every level
- Texas (Dallas/Houston) — home to the Texas Super Kings MLC franchise; rapidly growing with strong South Asian and Caribbean communities
- Florida (Miami/Orlando) — vibrant Caribbean-origin cricket culture with active club and league cricket
- California (Los Angeles/Bay Area) — home to the LA Knight Riders and San Francisco Unicorns; large South Asian expat population
- Washington D.C. / Virginia / Maryland — long-established cricket community; home of the Washington Freedom
- New Jersey — one of the most active cricket states in the country, with dense club and league cricket across the entire state
Tape-ball cricket is also worth mentioning — informal matches played with a taped tennis ball are incredibly common in parks and open spaces across the country, particularly in South Asian communities. These games are low-pressure, social, and a great way to learn before committing to a club.
Understanding the Formats: Which One Should You Start With?
Cricket is played in three main formats. As a beginner, you'll almost certainly start with the shortest.
T20 (Twenty20) — Each team faces 20 overs (120 deliveries). A match lasts around 3 hours. This is the format you saw at the T20 World Cup and in Major League Cricket. It's fast, high-scoring, and action-packed. Most beginner and recreational leagues in the USA use this format.
ODI (One Day International / 50-over cricket) — Each team faces 50 overs. A match lasts a full day. This is the format of the Cricket World Cup. Some club leagues use a modified version of this.
Test Cricket — Matches can last up to 5 days. This is the traditional, highest form of the game. You won't encounter this at the recreational level in the USA, but understanding it helps you appreciate the sport's depth.
For beginners in the USA, start with T20. It's beginner-friendly, quick enough to hold attention, and what most local leagues and club programs use.
What Gear Do You Need as a Beginner?
One of the most common questions new players ask is how much equipment they need to get started. The answer: less than you think, at first.
Step 1: Start with club equipment. Most cricket clubs in the USA provide helmets, pads, and gloves for members to use. You don't need to buy anything before attending your first training session.
Step 2: Get your own basics once you're committed. Once you've decided cricket is for you, a beginner kit should include:
- Cricket bat — For new adult players, a Kashmir willow bat is a solid and affordable entry point. As you improve, an English willow bat delivers noticeably better performance.
- Batting gloves — Required for protection at any level
- Batting pads (leg guards) — Protect the shins and knees
- Helmet — Non-negotiable for facing any live bowling
- Abdominal guard (box) — Essential for male players
- Cricket shoes — Rubber-soled shoes work fine for beginners; spiked cricket shoes improve grip on grass as you progress
- Cricket whites or team kit — Many clubs provide or sell team-branded clothing
What does it cost? A complete beginner kit typically runs $150–$300, depending on brand and quality. Sets that bundle bat, gloves, pads, and bag together offer the best value for new players and are a good starting point before investing in individual premium pieces.
What you don't need right away: a bowling machine, specialty training equipment, or premium English willow. Those come later.
Cricket Rules: The Basics You Need to Know Before Your First Game
Cricket has a reputation for being complicated. It isn't — once you understand the structure.
The basics: Two teams of 11 players. One team bats, one team fields and bowls. The batting team scores runs; the fielding team tries to get the batters out (take "wickets"). When 10 batters are out, the innings ends. The team with the most runs wins.
How you score runs: The batter hits the ball and runs between the wickets (22 yards apart). Each completed run = 1 run. A ball that reaches the boundary = 4 runs automatically. A ball that clears the boundary without bouncing = 6 runs.
How batters get out: Bowled (ball hits the stumps), caught (ball caught before it bounces), LBW (ball would have hit the stumps but hit the batter's leg instead), run out (batter fails to reach the crease in time), and a few others.
Overs: A bowler delivers 6 balls per over. Different bowlers rotate in. In T20, each team faces 20 overs.
That's genuinely enough to follow and enjoy a T20 match. The finer rules — no-balls, wides, DRS, powerplays — come naturally as you watch and play more.
Cricket Communities in the USA: Who's Playing?
Cricket in the USA is wonderfully diverse. Here's who you'll find at your local club:
South Asian communities form the backbone of grassroots cricket in the USA — immigrants and their children from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh for whom cricket is as natural as baseball is to native-born Americans.
Caribbean communities bring a distinctive style of play rooted in the West Indian cricket tradition — one of the sport's greatest and most celebrated.
British, Australian, South African, and Zimbabwean expats who grew up playing the game and wanted to keep playing after moving to the States.
American-born newcomers — increasingly, Americans with no cricket background at all are discovering the game through MLC, youth school programs, and friends who play. This is the fastest-growing segment.
Cricket is genuinely one of the most multicultural sporting experiences you can have in the United States, and that's a huge part of its appeal.
Your First Season: What to Expect
Show up to a training session before committing to a league. Most clubs welcome spectators and casual participants before formal registration.
Weeks 1–4: You'll focus on basic batting stance, how to hold a bat, simple bowling action, and fielding basics. Don't rush it. Muscle memory takes time.
First matches: Club cricket is social. Expect a lot of encouragement from teammates and even the opposing side. Mistakes are expected and welcomed — the culture is inclusive, not competitive, at the beginner level.
Between games: Watch MLC matches on TV or stream USA Cricket games online. Watching cricket is the fastest way to accelerate understanding. Even 20 minutes of a T20 game will teach you more about the rhythm of the sport than an hour of reading.
Equipment progression: Once you've played your first season, you'll have a much clearer sense of your role (batter, bowler, all-rounder) and what gear to prioritize investing in next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cricket popular in the USA? It is — and growing rapidly. Over 300,000 registered players across the country, with millions more playing informally. The 2024 T20 World Cup, hosted partly in the USA, generated the biggest cricket audience this country has ever seen.
Do I need to be from a cricket-playing country to join a club? Absolutely not. American-born players are welcomed at every level, and many clubs specifically run outreach programs for people new to the game.
Can kids play cricket in the USA? Yes. USA Cricket runs youth programs, and many clubs have junior teams for ages 8 and up. The Rookie League program is designed specifically to introduce children to cricket in a fun, pressure-free environment.
How is cricket different from baseball? Both involve batting and fielding, but that's where the similarities end. In cricket, there are no foul zones — the ball can be hit in any direction. The bowler bounces the ball off the pitch rather than throwing it through the air. There are two batters on the field at once. And matches are measured in overs, not innings-based outs.
Where can I watch cricket in the USA? Major League Cricket matches are broadcast on Willow TV and streamed online. International T20 and ODI matches involving the USA national team are available on the ICC's digital platforms. If you have a streaming subscription that carries Willow TV, you can access a full calendar of international cricket.
Ready to gear up? TopCricketStore ships cricket equipment across the entire USA, with a retail location in New Jersey. Browse our beginner cricket sets, bats, and protective gear — or visit us in-store if you're local to NJ and want to see the equipment in person before you buy.