World Cup cricket matches reflect sport’s rising popularity in US, including Oregon and Washington-Selambe

Earlier this month, the U.S. national cricket team defeated Pakistan during a match at the Men’s T20 World Cup. It was a stunning upset and impressive victory for Team USA’s first outing at the World Cup cricket tournament, as the team continues to defy expectations by advancing to the quarterfinals.The international tournament is also being played on U.S. soil for the first time, a reflection of the sport’s growing popularity here. There’s also now a U.S. major league of cricket with six professional teams, including the Seattle Orcas, kicking off their second season next month. As reported recently by Axios, the Pacific Northwest has been a hub for cricket enthusiasts, thanks to the efforts of amateur cricket leagues in Seattle and Portland that have been organizing games and tournaments among teams for nearly 30 years. Joining us to talk about cricket and its growth in our region is Srini Ramakrishna, the secretary and treasurer of the Portland Metro Open Cricket League, and Satish Naik, the secretary of the Northwest Cricket League and the coordinator of the Seattle region for USA Cricket.Contact “Think Out Loud®”If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to thinkoutloud@opb.org, or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983. The call-in phone number during the noon hour is 888-665-5865.