By Caroline Chepkorir
Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport after soccer, and its popularity is gradually growing in the USA. The GOATS, a production company that deals with documentaries and has documentaries of athletes like Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods, is eyeing cricket.
The GOATS announced that its next project, “The GOATS of Cricket,” a documentary that will be released next year, will highlight a dozen of the sport’s all-time greats.
Cricket popularity in America was solidified by Team USA’s six-win over Pakistan at the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup. Pakistan is one of the most dominant clubs in cricket, and the USA victory against them was a major milestone.
The USA cricket journey has been progressive over the years, and the USA ‘s first entry into top-tier cricket was the 2004 Champions Trophy, and they met the criteria after winning the ICC Six Nations challenges that consisted of teams like Scotland, Namibia, the Netherlands, the UAE, and Canada.
Last year, Major League Cricket was launched with MI New York, the franchise owned by Mukesh Ambani. This year, the USA in the T20 World Cup for the first time won a series against a full-member nation; they defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in a three-match series in Dallas. Adding to their victory, they defeated Canada in the opening game of the T20 World Cup, shocked Pakistan in the Super Over, and qualified for the Super Eight stage of the tournament.
The GOATS of Cricket has been developed by visionary producers behind the acclaimed documentary series ‘GOATS’ with photographer Walter Looss, which premiered on ESPN and the ABC Networks and had remarkable ratings.
Former England cricketer Mark Butcher has been included in the panel of experts that will decide on the selection criteria for the new series.
“There’s no better time for GOATS of Cricket. The sport is changing before our very eyes, and having played with and against many of the greats of yesteryear, such as Gilchrist and Tendulkar, it will be fascinating to compare them with the likes of Kohli and Cummins, who are the pioneers of our modern game. Hearing the individual stories of each GOAT and finding out what makes these guys tick will make for great viewing,” said Mark Butcher in a statement.
