Cricket originated in England, but has been spread worldwide by British soldiers and settlers in the past few hundred years.
It is now the second most popular sport in the world in terms of number of fans, after soccer.
This spread has been most successful in the Indian sub-continent, which is now considered the epicentre of world cricket.
This region includes countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), 90% of the world’s cricket fans are from the sub-continent.
History of cricket in the Indian sub-continent
Cricket was introduced to the Indian sub-continent by sailors and traders from the East India Company in the early 18th century.
The first recorded cricket match in this region was played between British sailors in western India in 1721.
Why is cricket so popular on the Indian sub-continent? added by Indian newspaper Sydney on
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