Daijiworld Media Network - Melbourne
Melbourne, Aug 12: Cricket Australia’s 2024-25 census has revealed a record 103,232 South Asian Australians registered for cricket this season, surpassing the strategic target of 100,000 participants set for 2027—achieved two years ahead of schedule.
For the sixth consecutive year, ‘Singh’ topped the list of most common surnames among registered players, followed by Patel, Smith, Sharma, and Williams—reflecting the growing presence of the South Asian community in Australian cricket.
Several Indian-origin players are making waves in elite cricket: Jason Sangha and Niv Krishna recently toured the MRF Academy in Chennai with the Australia Men’s development squad; Tanveer and Jason Sangha featured in the Australia A vs Sri Lanka A series in Darwin; Aryan Sharma, John James, and Yash Deshmukh have been named in the Australia Men’s U19 squad to face India; and Hasrat Gill, Samara Dulvin, and Ribya Syan represented Australia’s U19 women in last year’s tri-series.
The growth is part of Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Action Plan, aimed at building inclusive pathways, breaking down barriers, and increasing visibility of multicultural talent. Participation among South Asian boys aged 5–12 rose 7 per cent to 21,914, while girls in the same age group grew by 8 per cent to 5,346. In the Woolworths Cricket Blast program, South Asian girls saw an 11 per cent rise to 4,909, and boys grew 5 per cent to 12,109—signifying strong family engagement.
South Asian Australians now make up 17 per cent of juniors in Cricket Australia’s talent pathways. In the under-12 national development programs, 43 per cent of boys and 25 per cent of girls are of South Asian heritage, despite the community comprising just 6 per cent of the national population.
Nationwide, total cricket participation reached 669,642 this season, with club cricket registrations rising to 348,221, and school cricket competitions stable at 95,818. Female participation climbed 6 per cent overall, with an 11 per cent boost in Cricket Blast—driven in part by South Asian girls and emerging role models.