Cricket in United States of America: Not an arrival, but a homecoming

Time of India

09-07-2025

Seattle Orcas players during a Major League Cricket match. (Sportzpics)
(The following piece is written by Satya Nadella, Chairman & CEO of Microsoft and the co-owner of MLC franchise Seattle Orcas)
For cricket fans around the world, this is an exciting moment — a drumbeat resounds across continents.
India's tour of England rekindles memories of sun-drenched afternoons and timeless rivalries. Australia's clash with the West Indies echoes Caribbean flair and Baggy Green grit.
And here in the United States, Major League Cricket (MLC) surges into its knockout rounds, a new chapter being written on unfamiliar soil. Women's cricket is blossoming, and youth academies hum with the energy of tomorrow's stars.
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As a boy growing up in Hyderabad, cricket wasn't just a game — it was the rhythm of life.
I remember the dusty matting wickets of the Deccan Plateau, the chalk-drawn stumps on compound walls. I bowled off-spin through my school and college years, dreaming of playing professionally.
But while cricket stirred my soul, computers quietly captured my mind.
Even today, I find myself lost in the romantic poetry of the game. Cricket is a novel in motion — part Tolstoy in its depth, part Tagore in its grace. Every over is a stanza, and each innings a chapter.
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The drama simmers slowly, then blooms all at once. A single audacious stroke or a trio of cunning deliveries can tilt the narrative, like a plot twist you never saw coming.
From cricket, I've drawn three enduring principles. First, to compete fiercely, even when the odds are long and the crowd is silent. Second, to put one's team above one's self — because centuries and five-fors fade, but camaraderie is the enduring victory. And third, to lead with clarity and conviction, knowing that leadership is less about commannd and more about coherence.
Satya Nadella
In 'Netherland', Joseph O'Neill captures this magic: 11 players moving in unison toward the batsman, then retreating, again and again, 'a repetition of pulmonary rhythm, as if the field breathed through its luminous visitors.' That image lingers with me, not just as a fan, but as a leader.
It reminds me that great teams breathe together.
From cricket, I've drawn three enduring principles.
First, to compete fiercely, even when the odds are long and the crowd is silent.
Second, to put one's team above one's self, because centuries and five-fors fade, but camaraderie is the enduring victory.
And third, to lead with clarity and conviction, knowing that leadership is less about command and more about coherence.
At Microsoft, our mission and culture serve as our North Star, guiding every decision we make. We strive to build technology that is a democratizing force, empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
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In the cricketing world, our ownership of the Seattle Orcas in MLC is rooted in similar values. Now in our third season, we've seen triumph and heartbreak — reaching the finals in year one, navigating setbacks in years two and three.
That's the game. That's life. What matters is how you respond.
I've cheered for the Orcas with a fervor I once reserved for my Hyderabad Ranji team. Because when sport meets home, it becomes something sacred. It becomes ours.
As a technologist, I am excited about how innovation can impact sport. The thrill of a perfect cover drive or a toe-crushing yorker will always remain, but behind the scenes, tech will elevate both players and fans.
Seattle Orcas players during a Major League Cricket match. (Sportzpics)
Microsoft's partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board is a case in point — using data and AI to grow the game, connect communities, and inspire generations. And with Indian legend Anil Kumble's company, Spektacom, we're blending engineering with elegance. Sensors, cameras, and cloud intelligence now decode the art of batting in real time, turning every shot into a story.
Cricket's roots in America run deeper than many realise.
George Washington played 'wicket' with his troops. Ranjitsinhji toured the US leading an English team in the 19th century. So perhaps what we are witnessing is not novelty, but return.
The Seattle Orcas squad for the 2025 Major League Cricket. (Sportzpics)
The South Asian diaspora is not importing cricket, it is remembering it, resurrecting world-class cricket back on American shores.
This is just the beginning. The willow's whisper, the crowd's roar, the hush before a final ball — these moments are finding new homes, new hearts. And I, for one, can't wait to see where the game goes next.
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