LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board is ready to share sports expertise with Saudi Arabia, its new chief told Arab News, as the game grows increasingly popular in the Kingdom.
Cricket matches have been organized in Saudi Arabia since 1960s, when the game was introduced by expatriates from Pakistan and India.
As years passed, the sport became more structured and local clubs began to form. The Kingdom became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 2003 and, in 2016, was promoted to associate membership.
But the game’s real boom began only recently, with the establishment of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation in 2020. The federation has since lined up a series of programs to promote the sport at home and prepare national teams to compete with the world’s best in the future.