‘Crazy about cricket.’ How this small NC town became a hub for South Asian community.

Before 2018, Jaskaran Malhotra, a member of the U.S. national cricket team, had never heard of Morrisville.

Malhotra grew up in the northern state of Punjab in India, about 200 miles north of New Delhi, where cricket is a popular sport. As a teen, he moved to the United States and lived in cities like Houston and New York City where he continued playing cricket.

Three years ago Malhotra was chosen to play in the 2018 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier tournament being held in Morrisville, a town of about 30,000 people in westernmost Wake County.

“I’m, like, a city boy,” the 31-year-old athlete said in an interview. “It was a massive difference.”

During his visit, Malholtra realized cricket was big in Morrisville. He didn’t know how big until he actually moved there to play for the Morrisville Cardinals, the only minor league cricket team in North Carolina.

“Everyone recognizes me everywhere,” he said. “People are, like, really crazy about cricket here.”

A hub for South Asian culture

With heavy rain in the forecast, Hasa Tarek, owner of the minor league Atlanta Fire, was impressed by the dozens of fans who showed up for the season opener against the Morrisville home team Saturday.

“It ended up being beautiful weather and a great crowd,” Tarek said.

The crowd was the closest thing to a victory for the Cardinals that evening. The Fire beat them by 6 wickets.

In cricket, somewhat similar to American baseball, a team’s score equals runs made but also “wickets” lost. Wickets are two sets of three wooden posts placed on opposite points of the field pitch that “run out” a batsman when the opposing team’s ball hits them.

Players include bowlers (pitchers) who throw the ball, wicket keepers (catchers) who catch them and batsmen (batters) who try to stop the ball from hitting the wicket.

Cricket and baseball’s similarities are why many teams practice and play on baseball and softball fields in the U.S., or multipurpose fields like the one at Church Street Park in Morrisville.

“We don’t have a facility like this (in Atlanta) where people come in with their family and kids,” Tarek said. “It was a beautiful scene to see when the crowd was full.”

The sport’s popularity in Morrisville and its fervent following reflect the town’s changing demographics.

Morrisville’s population has grown in the past 20 year from 5,000 to nearly 30,000, much of it spurred by tech and heath sciences companies in Research Triangle Park.

In 2000, the U.S. Census showed the town’s population of Asian-alone descent at about 500 people.

By 2010, it had increased to 4,415 people, with about 60% of the town’s Asian residents being Indian.

By 2019, the Asian population had more than doubled to 10,868, with 80% being of Indian descent.

Former mayor and Town Council member Mark Stohlman says officials saw this shift starting in the early 2000s.

“Back when I was on the council, the (South Asian) demographics were just growing and growing,” Stohlman said. “It was 15%, then 20%, 25 and 30.”

Growth has boosted the local economy, with the median household income in Morrisville at $101,738. Stohlman said this prompted officials to think about ways they could make sure the Asian community continued to grow and stayed in the town.

“We have local temples, restaurants, good jobs,” he said.

But the “icing on the cake,” Stohlman says, was getting the town to approve buying an RTP-owned property to turn into a multi-million dollar park. It included a multipurpose athletic field, perfect for cricket.

By the time Church Street Park opened to the public in 2015, the Triangle Cricket League, formerly the Mid-Atlantic Cricket Conference, had been around for almost two decades. Local cricket teams played on smaller fields nearby, including Shiloh Park in Morrisville. Adult and youth teams popped up, creating a demand for space.

“We saw an increase in the population. And our goal has always been to offer a variety of recreation programs for the different interests in the community,” said Jerry Allen, community services supervisor for the Morrisville Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources department. “There was a growing desire for cricket.”

Morrisville cricket spotlight

The town’s efforts paid off this past June when the National Civic League named Morrisville a 2021 All-America City Finalist, in part, for embracing cricket culture.

“What people in this country a lot of times don’t realize is just how popular the sport of cricket is worldwide,” Allen said.

But Morrisville has been in the spotlight for a few years now.

Last August, the Morrisville Cardinals joined 23 other teams across the United States as an inaugural affiliate of Minor League Cricket.

The team’s co-owners, Praveen Chakraraj, Ram Kuntamukkala and Sunil Battula, have lived and worked in Morrisville for more than two decades. All three migrated from India.

“(Morrisville) was mostly a technology hub. RTP — Research Triangle Park — is what drew us to this community,” Kuntamukkala said in an interview. “At the end of the day, we always need to find a place to go out and play.”

When the chance arrived with Minor League Cricket, Kuntamukkala said it was hard to pass up.

“This is just the beginning of what we expect to be an amazing sport that is going to be absorbed and embraced by Americans across this nation,” he said.

Cricket legend Alvin Kallicharran, 72, is the coach of the Cardinals and has lived in Morrisville for 10 years. He also coaches women’s league and youth league teams.

“It has rejuvenated me to get involved in the game (again),” he said.

Kallicharran was part of the 1975 and 1979 championship teams that won the Cricket World Cup.

“He got the ICC, which is the International Cricket Council, a world-wide governing body, to come here probably about five years ago,” Stohlman said.

With Kallicharran’s help, the town was selected to host the ICC World Twenty20 Americas Qualifier. But it didn’t come easily.

The league said the Church Street Park field needed better lighting and other improvements to meet international standards. The town accepted the challenge and, in 2018, Morrisville hosted its first international cricket tournament. Team USA won all five games it played against Belize, Panama and Canada.

“It’s put ‘smallville’ now on the map of cricket,” Kallicharran said. “We have the best ground in the whole U.S.”

Malhotra, the Cardinals’ captain, says it’s an honor to play cricket at this level. “When passion becomes profession, it’s the best thing you can have,” he said.

The Cardinals bounced back from Saturday’s loss on Sunday, beating the Atlanta Param Veers by seven wickets. They return to Church Street Park at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, August 14. They will play against the Florida Beamers. The field is located at 5817 Cricket Pitch Way. All games are free and open to the public.