Why Cricket became Popular in India and the West Indies?

Why Cricket became Popular in India and the West Indies?

Cricket become popular in India and the West Indies because:

(i) Both India and the West Indies were a part of British colonial empire.

(ii) It was made popular in these regions by the white settlers and local elites.

(iii) The local elites wanted to copy the habits of their colonial masters. It was looked upon as a sign of superior social and racial status.

(iv) In West Indies success at cricket became a measure of racial equality and political progress. Example: When in 1950 West Indies won its first series against England, it was celebrated as a National achievement.

Cricket did not become popular in the countries in South America because:

(i) South American countries were not under the British but American, Spanish and Portuguese influence.

(ii) Unlike other games like football and hockey cricket remained a British colonial game.

(iii) The pre-industrial oddness of cricket made it a hard game to export. Therefore it took root only in countries that the British conquered and ruled.