India Vs. England T20 Thriller Sparks US Cricket Interest

India Vs. England T20 Thriller Sparks US Cricket Interest...

Cricket fever hit the United States on Monday as fans stayed up late to watch India edge England by 6 runs in a last-over T20 World Cup thriller. The match, streamed on Willow TV and ESPN+, saw record US viewership as expat communities and new fans tuned in ahead of America's co-hosting of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

With 32,000 fans packing Nagpur's VCA Stadium, the game delivered non-stop drama. England needed 19 off the final over, but Jasprit Bumrah's pinpoint yorkers sealed India's victory at 1:43 AM ET. Social media erupted with #CricketInUSA trending as Major League Cricket franchises reported a 300% spike in ticket inquiries.

The surge follows cricket's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the US national team's recent upset over Ireland. Major broadcasters are now negotiating rights for next month's Pakistan Super League, with matches airing in prime time for American audiences.

"We're seeing unprecedented demand," said USA Cricket CEO Iain Higgins, noting youth league registrations have doubled since January. The ICC confirms 12 US venues will host 2026 World Cup matches, including New York's new 34,000-seat Nassau County Stadium.

Monday's nail-biter featured standout performances from India's Suryakumar Yadav (78 off 42) and England's Jos Buttler (67 off 36). The match drew 1.2 million concurrent US viewers - a record for cricket outside the Caribbean community.

Sports analysts attribute the growth to streaming accessibility and the T20 format's fast pace. With 30 million cricket-interested Americans reported in Nielsen's latest survey, brands like Pepsi and Google are increasing sponsorship deals ahead of the 2026 showcase.

Next up: Australia faces South Africa in a day-night match airing at 7:30 PM ET Wednesday on Willow TV, testing cricket's US prime-time potential.