For decades, Arab cricket was seen as a foreign implant — a side sport off the main streets, squashed between building sites, labor camps, and public parks. It was a sport of migrants rather than citizens, mostly South Asians, who brought their enthusiasm with them over borders. Something amazing occurred, however, over time. What had been for so long “someone else’s game” soon became a hit beat — spilling over into mass culture, national federations, and youth programs.
Now, cricket is discovering its own foundations in nations such as the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and even Saudi Arabia. With a new league setup, international hosting rights, and official approval, the sport is transforming from peripheries of culture to national identity. The only thing remaining now is not whether cricket will find a place in the Arab world — but how extensive it will go.
The Early Years: Cricket and the Expatriate Core
The history of cricket in the Arab region can’t be penned without initially paying tribute to the vast South Asian diaspora that built its initial foundations. Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan migrant laborers carried the sport with them — on dusty roads in Sharjah, in the shade of company buildings in Muscat, and in schoolyards across Riyadh.
Here, cricket was not recreation — it was identity. Weekends were spent around unauthorized tournaments, radio coverage of overseas matches, and recalling local idols. Gradually, as the availability of access and infrastructure increased, these games became mainstream. City governments could not help but take notice, even for pragmatic purposes.
This created the gradual but rising convergence of these informal games and wider digital consumption. Fan websites, fantasy league websites, and even online cricket betting sites began to monetize these crowds, seeing an engaged, passionate audience that wanted more than mere playtime. Cricket in the Arab world was no longer underground — it was catching on.
Formal Recognition and Sudden Growth
By the early 2000s, cricket was creeping into officialdom. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), for instance, was granted affiliate membership by the ICC in 1989 and full membership in 1990. The UAE was hosting international tournaments on a regular basis, including Pakistan’s home games and ICC qualifying matches. Oman wasn’t far behind, with the Oman Cricket Academy opening in 2012 and the national team qualifying for the T20 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia, too, has been quickly building its cricket infrastructure since the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF), was formed in 2020. Why? To add cricket to national sporting schemes officially, to attract native players, and one day play globally.
These advancements are all supported by state-directed sports development agendas driven by larger visions such as Saudi Vision 2030. Cricket in such cases is less a sport — it’s a tool for diversification, a means of cultural soft power, and a source of regional pride.
Private investment also facilitates the transformation. Social media platforms and betting co-partnerships — like Melbet Insta, which is expert at catering programming to cricket-sustained viewership in cricket-lover countries and Arab countries — have assisted in fusing old and new, making old-style watching a trans-border online phenomenon.
Why Cricket Succeeds in the Arab Setting
The emphasis on Cricket in the Arab world is not an accident. It is a smooth blend of the country’s social, cultural, and infrastructural tendencies. Why the sport succeeds in establishing footholds is as below:
1. Migrant Population Impact
With enormous expat populations of cricket-mad countries, there already exists an initial support base. The populations form the basis for leagues, coverage demand, and grassroots participation.
2. Strategic Location
The Arab nations — and Gulf states specifically — are geographically positioned between Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is thus ideally placed to host franchise leagues, ICC games, and neutral venue games.
3. Media and Digital Integration
Latest live streaming, broadcast, and online interaction causes cricket to flourish even in the absence of the traditional grounds assemblage. Digital-first concepts put Arab countries at the forefront of international cricket narratives.
4. Government Support
With national policy diversification to sport and entertainment, cricket is increasingly being funded and given institutional credibility.
All these motivators are coming together at just the moment, transforming cricket from the recreational activity of an immigrant community into a structured, scalable sport that resonates with greater national aspirations.
Who’s Driving the Change? A Regional Roundup
Although the cricket ecosystem in the Arab world is uneven in terms of maturity, there are certain countries that are ahead of the curve. Here is a roundup of what is happening around the region:
| Country | Key Development | Current Focus |
| UAE | Hosts IPL, Asia Cup, and international matches | Strengthening domestic leagues and women’s cricket |
| Oman | ICC-recognized team and academy infrastructure | Youth development and international tournaments |
| Qatar | Qatar T10 League and growing grassroots support | Corporate sponsorship and local training programs |
| Saudi Arabia | Cricket federation and strategic expansion | Talent scouting and local club integration |
| Bahrain | Active expat leagues and ICC affiliate status | Building pathways to regional competition |
These countries are not just investing in stadiums but also in cultural credibility — positioning cricket in the national discourse instead of a sideshow.
From Pitch to Policy: What’s the Future of Arab Cricket?
The possibilities are huge, but still there are challenges. The inclusion of local Arabs in cricket schemes — presently the preserve of expatriates — will be vital. Overcoming language barriers, rival sporting loyalties (most prominently football), and sketchy coverage in rural regions must be overcome.
For cricket to become truly national in nature, it needs to be part of school curriculums, promoted through the Arabic media and followed with national pride — not merely expat passion. The creation of Arab cricketing heroes, investment in coaching, and formation of domestic leagues with pathways can close that gap.
That being said, the momentum is genuine. Thanks to cross-border partnerships, sponsorship agreements, and growing attention from governing bodies, cricket in the Arab world is no longer an underground movement — it’s an expanding presence in the region’s sporting future.
Cricket’s Second Home Is No Longer a Secret
From the dusty expat matches to the international glamorous events, cricket’s rise in the Arab world has been nothing but phenomenal. What was something under the radar is now part of national conversation, development agendas, and cyberspace.
This is not merely a sporting switch of loyalty — this is a change of identity. No longer does the bat and ball solely belong to the expat. Now they belong to a territory poised to pen its own page in cricketing lore.
