The United States, a nation famously known for its love for baseball, has not traditionally been a cricket stronghold.
However, post India's T20 World Cup triumph - the first major international cricket event hosted by the USA, the perception seems to be shifting.
The 'land of the free' is now being hailed as a 'land of opportunity' by a South African professional, who has found a new life for himself and his family in the USA.
BBC Sport Africa gets insights from three USA internationals of diverse origins who have been utterly captivated by the opportunities cricket's new frontier provides both on and off the field.
'Significant Improvement in Standards’ – Shadley van Schalkwyk South Africa
Shadley van Schalkwyk, who relocated to the USA four years ago, now serves as a full-time player and coach in Seattle.
"Anyone who comes here is taken aback by the sheer amount of cricket being played," he shares with BBC Sport Africa, revealing that his new home boasts over 200 club teams.
The Cape Town native concedes that he initially found the transition challenging, particularly as he was "isolated" for eight months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I still grapple with homesickness when I think about my family and friends back home," he admits.
"The challenge is that you have to start from zero all over again.
"But the community around me, the friends I've made while starting a new life here, have accepted me wholeheartedly."
With his daughter born in the USA, Van Schalkwyk has no plans to return to Africa – a decision further cemented by his representation of the USA in international cricket. He made his debut in April and participated in four of the USA's seven T20 World Cup games, helping them defy expectations by advancing to the second phase of the tournament.
He attributes this achievement to the "massive influx" of overseas professionals like himself.
"With this influx, the system and grassroots cricket have improved," he added.
"The quality of the game has drastically improved in four years."
He also acknowledges that the presence of "major indoor facilities" plays a significant role as cricket is now a year-round sport in the USA.
While retirement isn't on the cards just yet, he's already planning for the future, hoping to utilize new contacts to manage his living and grocery expenses, which he concedes are higher in Seattle.
"In South Africa, I felt once I was done with cricket, there weren't many pathways available for me," he explained.
"In the USA, there is definitely an opportunity if you want to venture outside of cricket and start something new. It's great to have discussions around business and entrepreneurship."
As Van Schalkwyk finds his new home offering better opportunities than South Africa, it's not surprising that his fellow cricketers often inquire about relocating themselves.
His advice to them is straightforward.
"When I came to the USA, I had to sell everything I owned in South Africa. If you're not ready to commit 100%, it won't work out."
'Exponential Growth in Women’s Cricket’ – Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni India
Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni may only be at the dawn of her cricketing career, but at 16, she's already an international cricketer.
Unlike Van Schalkwyk, she was born in the USA after her parents moved from India to Texas for work two decades ago.
"I was greatly influenced by my grandfather, father, and uncle," she shares, explaining how her initial exposure to the sport was mainly alongside male players.
"Finding girls to train with was difficult in my area, so I usually joined an academy with boys."
The young leg-spinner cites Australian legend Shane Warne as her inspiration.
But she firmly believes that the landscape of women's cricket is changing swiftly, thanks to a structured development pathway that recognized her potential during nationwide trials in 2020.
"Women's cricket in the US is witnessing rapid growth," Eyyunni asserts.
"There are a lot more girls in the same locality where we can now train together as a team."
This is a welcome update for someone hoping to pursue cricket professionally by joining the new global women's T20 leagues.
Sai's father, Srinivas, describes the United States as a "land of immigrants," though he admits some "quasi-racial" undertones persist.
He believes that moving to the USA has positioned his family "in the right place at the right time," explaining how increased competition in India might have limited his daughter's opportunities.
He also mentions that there is now an effort from those promoting US cricket to secure scholarships and bursaries for young talents to attend university - something Sai is interested in.
"I'm investing a lot of effort in excelling in my education," she reveals.
With a strong South Asian influence in the USA women's team, she is not the only one juggling cricket and academics.
"We're all students, either in high school or college."
"We would play our matches in the morning or the afternoon, come back and start studying in the evening. We're willing to do anything to represent the country."
From ‘Weekend Cricket’ to ‘Promising Future’ – Clayton Lambert West Indies
Education was also a significant factor in Clayton Lambert's decision to move from Guyana to the USA.
"The main reason for my move was my son's education," shares the 62-year-old, who made his international debut with the West Indies in 1991, playing five Tests and ten one-day matches.
"His education took precedence over everything else. I have absolutely no regrets. I believe that as parents, we sacrifice our pleasures for our children."
Lambert assumed his playing days were over when he relocated in 1999, but he ended up representing the USA instead.
"When I arrived, cricket was mainly a weekend affair. Most of the players had other jobs," he recalls.
"I felt that I still had something to offer. I was encouraged to be around the USA team, and subsequently, I played for the US."
"I believed I was contributing to the development at that time."
His second international debut came in 2004, at the age of 42, and he subsequently went on to coach the national team.
"I was comfortable playing that role and contributing to the development," he elucidates.
"Today, we have a lot of professionals because players who felt they no longer wanted to chase the dream of representing their full nation countries – whether it be South Africa, India, Pakistan – migrated to the US."
Lambert feels the game in his adopted home has become far more professional, with a significant increase in the number of full-time coaches, including his role at the Atlanta Cricket Academy.
With more investment and exposure, he believes the future is bright for homegrown US cricketers.
"We start training kids from about five years old. We've got ten-year-olds already scoring double centuries. It's a joy to watch."
Picture credit: CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr
