Countries That Play Cricket (Find Out All The Countries That Play Cricket In The World!)

Last Updated on October 26, 2023 by Alex PT

Cricket is popular in over 100 countries. The most prominent cricket-playing nations include India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka. These countries have robust cricket traditions, with India being the most populous and cricket-loving nation.

The Table Below Contains The Countries That Play Cricket, Countries That Play Test Cricket, And ODI Cricket. 

How Many Countries Play Cricket?We have a total of hundred four nations that play cricket across the planet and are people of the ICC.
How Many Countries Play Test Cricket?There are only 12 countries that play Test Cricket in the world.
How Many Countries Play ODI Cricket?There are twenty countries playing the ODI Cricket
How Many Countries Play T20 Cricket?Currently, there are 90 countries that participate in the T20 Cricket tournaments. 

How Many Countries Play Cricket?

Currently, we have a total of hundred four nations that play cricket across the planet and are people of the ICC. As we said earlier, the membership of each country is subdivided into two categories i.e. Full Member and Associate Member. There are a total of 92 Associate Members who play Test matches and 12 Full Members. An Associate Member can be promoted to a Full Member if it performs well in international competition. 

Can A Full Member Of The ICC Be Suspended?

Yes! Of course. The ICC has the authority to suspend any member for misconduct or breach of rules and regulations. As we saw in the case of the Zimbabwe cricket team who is a Full Member, was suspended mainly because of the interference of the government in the sport in July 2019. However, the suspension didn’t last up to a year. Later in October 2019, the suspension was lifted on the Zimbabwe team. The game of cricket has three formats, and they include Test, T20I, and ODI cricket. Although only 12 countries with full memberships of the ICC are allowed to participate in the Test Cricket 

Let’s quickly run through the list of countries that participate in Test, ODI, and T20I cricket. 

Test Cricket

The longest format and the highest standard of the game of cricket is Test Cricket. It was in March 1877 that the first Test match was played between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The ICC grants the Test status to any international team who wants to play a Test match. Recently, ICC granted the Test status to two new countries in the game (Afghanistan and Ireland) on 22 June 2017. Meaning, a country must have a full membership become it can participate in a Test Cricket competition. 

Currently, there are only 12 countries that play Test Cricket in the world. 

The table below contains each team that participates in Test Cricket and the date they debuted. 

NoCountriesDebut Date
1Australia15 March 1877
2England15 March 1877
3South Africa12 March 1889
4West Indies23 June 1928
5New Zealand10 January 1930
6India25 June 1932
7Pakistan16 October 1952
8Sri Lanka17 February 1982
9Zimbabwe18 October 1992
10Bangladesh10 November 2000
11Ireland11 May 2018
12Afghanistan14 June 2018

ODI Cricket

If you’re talking about a form of limited overs cricket which can be played between teams with international status, then you’re talking about the ODI format. It was on 5th of January 1971 that England and Australia played their first ODI match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ODI has two types of status, which includes Permanent and Temporary ODI status. All the teams with Full Memberships of the ICC have permanent ODI status. Six more teams were granted temporary ODI status in 2005 and four more were granted in 2017. In 2019, countries holding the temporary status were increased to eight. 

Now, there are twenty countries playing the ODI Cricket 

ODI Playing Countries

NoCountries
1Australia
2England
3New Zealand
4Pakistan
5West Indies
6India
7Sri Lanka
8South Africa
9Zimbabwe
10Bangladesh
11Afghanistan
12Ireland
13Scotland
14United Arab Emirates
15Nepal
16Netherlands
17Namibia
18Oman
19Papua New Guinea
20United States

T20I Cricket

T20 format is one of the most exciting and shortest cricket formats. It was on the 17th of February 2005 that the first T20 International match was played between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park, Auckland. Currently, 90 countries participate in the T20 Cricket tournaments. 

The popularity of Cricket Around the World

1. India: The Cricket Crazy Nation

Cricket is not just a sport in India, it’s a religion. Almost unheard of in most parts of the world, cricket enjoys a cult-like following in this South Asian nation. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) being one of the most-watched cricketing events, it’s clear that cricket matches in India are treated as grand national events.

2. Australia: Land of Cricket Pioneers

Australia had its roots in cricketing history deeply embedded ever since the first official cricket match took place in 1877. With each generation passing down the cricket fervor to the next, the Australians’ love for cricket remains undiminished. The Boxing Day Test Match is one of the major highlights in the Australian cricket calendar.

3. England: Birthplace of Cricket

England, being the birthplace of cricket, holds a special place in the cricketing world. The sport arrived here in the late 16th century and has remained one of the most cherished sports. The Ashes series between England and Australia is among the longest-standing cricketing rivalries.

CountryDescription
IndiaKnown as the country where cricket is akin to a religion
AustraliaRecognized for its pioneering history in cricket
EnglandRenowned as the birthplace of cricket with age-old rivalries

4. Pakistan: A Legacy of Cricket Passion

Cricket passion runs deep veins in Pakistani culture, despite the political unrest and turmoil often associated with the region. Pakistan has produced some of the finest cricketing talent and has a strong domestic cricket structure.

5. South Africa: Home to Modern Cricket Champions

While South Africa’s cricket history is relatively new, compared to countries like England and Australia, it has seen an accelerated development in cricket. South Africa hosts some of the world’s most prolific cricketers and modern cricket heroes.

6. The Caribbean: Enthusiasm for Cricket Comes Alive

Known collectively as the West Indies in cricketing circles, these small island-nations hold a big place in cricketing history. The unique Caribbean style of play and enthusiasm for the sport has spread cricketing fame across the globe.

7. Bangladesh: Rising Cricketing Nation

In the past few decades, Bangladesh has emerged with a rapidly growing interest in cricket. It gained Test status in 2000 and is increasingly becoming a competitive force in international cricket, showcasing the popularity of the sport in the country.

CountryDescription
PakistanNoted for its deep-rooted cricketing culture despite political unrest
South AfricaHome to some well-known modern cricket champions
The CaribbeanRenowned for its unique style of play and enthusiasm for cricket
BangladeshEmerging as a cricketing nation with a rapidly growing interest

All in all, cricket continues to be a popular sport across diverse regions around the world, transcending national boundaries and cultures. This global popularity is perhaps a reflection of the sport’s ability to evoke passion and excitement among its followers.

Closing Thoughts 

There are a total of one hundred and four nations that play cricket across the planet and are members of the ICC. As we stated previously, the membership of each nation is categorized into two groups i.e. Associate Member and Full Member. You will find a full of ninety-two Associate Members who play Test matches and twelve Full Members.

We’ve come to the closing session of this informative article. We hope you were able to find resources in your quest to know the countries that play cricket. Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions or comments. Thanks!

References:

https://www.cricketworld.com/countries/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_International_Cricket_Council_members

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