South Asian cricket participation in Australia reaches 2027 target two years early
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Cricket Australia has announced that South Asian participation in the sport has surpassed strategic goals ahead of schedule, with 103,232 players registered in the 2024–25 season - exceeding the 100,000 target originally set for 2027.
The milestone, revealed in Cricket Australia’s latest census, marks the sixth consecutive season that “Singh” has been the most common surname among registered players, followed by Patel, Smith, Sharma, and Williams.
The figures reflect the growing presence of South Asian Australians in all levels of the game.
Recent highlights from elite pathways include:
- Jason Sangha and Niv Krishna touring Chennai’s MRF Academy with the Australia Men’s development squad.
- Tanveer Sangha and Jason Sangha featuring in the Australia A vs Sri Lanka A series in Darwin.
- Three Indian-origin players — Aryan Sharma, John James, and Yash Deshmukh — named in the Australia Men’s U19 squad for the upcoming series against India.
- Three Indian-origin girls — Hasrat Gill, Samara Dulvin, and Ribya Syan — selected for Australia’s U19 women’s squad in last year’s tri-series.
The achievement comes under Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Action Plan, aimed at breaking down barriers, fostering trust, and building inclusive pathways for diverse communities.
Growth has been particularly strong in junior participation. South Asian boys aged 5–12 increased by 7% to 21,914, while girls rose by 8% to 5,346. In the Woolworths Cricket Blast program, South Asian girls grew by 11% to 4,909 participants, and boys by 5% to 12,109.
South Asian Australians now represent 17% of juniors in Cricket Australia’s talent pathways, with remarkable representation in under-12 programs — 43% of boys and 25% of girls — despite the community making up just 6% of the national population.
Female participation across Australian cricket continues to climb, with an overall 6% rise and an 11% jump in girls joining Cricket Blast, many from South Asian backgrounds.
Overall, total registered cricket participation in Australia reached 669,642 this season. Club cricket grew to 348,221 participants, while school competitions remained steady at 95,818.