More than a game: How cricket connects Calgary’s immigrant communities

By Bavan Kailey, March 23 2026—

Canada has always been shaped by immigrants, with communities bringing over their culture, traditions and languages, as well as their kindness, hospitality and liveliness. Many families brought over another love as well: the love of cricket. Cricket serves as a vital cultural touchstone for many individuals migrating from nations where the sport is deeply embedded in daily life. When they settled in Canada and other parts of the Americas, many continued to follow and enjoy the game. Over time, this passion for cricket has slowly begun to move beyond living rooms and into local communities. 

For years, the love of cricket was mostly confined to television screens in family homes. After work or school, family members would gather in the living room, often over dinner, to watch matches and cheer for legendary players such as Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border, Javed Miandad, Malcolm Marshall and Ian Botham. Cricket was more than just entertainment — it was a reminder of home and a connection to familiar memories. In parts of South Asia, young children are first introduced to the sport through gully cricket — a simple and inexpensive version of the game played with just a bat, a ball and any object that can act as a wicket, often in the narrow lanes, or “gullies,” outside their homes.

As communities grew, the love for the game spread beyond just household members. Families and friends would gather together to watch some of cricket’s biggest rivalries, such as India vs Pakistan, Australia vs England in the Ashes and West Indies vs Australia during the height of their dominance in the 1980s. This is a tradition that still continues today during major tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup. These matches became social events with entire communities coming together to cheer, debate and celebrate the sport. Soon, the game began to move the television. What started as informal matches between friends, coworkers and university students on weekends in school fields or public parks grew into organized teams and full-fledged community leagues.

In Calgary, the growth of these leagues has become quite apparent. Organizations such as the Calgary & District Cricket League and various community clubs across the city now host regular matches throughout the summer, bringing together players from a wide range of backgrounds. Parks and school fields that once saw mostly soccer and baseball games now host weekend cricket matches, with teams competing and families gathering along the sidelines. For younger players, these leagues represent a way of connecting their Canadian upbringing with the traditions of their parents’ homelands, blending two cultures through a shared love of the game.

What began as a sport followed by immigrant families in their living rooms has grown into a vibrant part of community life across Canada. The same matches that once played on television screens are now reflected in weekend games in local parks and organized leagues across cities like Calgary. For many younger players, picking up a cricket bat is not just about learning a sport, but about connecting with the stories and traditions of their families. In this way, cricket continues to bridge generations, blending the culture of their ancestral homelands with the communities they now call home.