To increase engagement in schools, British PM Rishi Sunak announces a GBP 35 million investment in grassroots cricket

On Friday, Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, unveiled a GBP 35 million investment in grassroots cricket facilities and expanded access to the sport within schools. Sunak has frequently talked about his love for cricket and described hitting a few balls with the England cricket team in the Downing Street garden as a highlight of his time in office.

The 43-year-old Indian-born mayor of Southampton said that he hopes to harness the immense potential of the “magic of cricket” as part of a larger initiative to increase youth participation by one million by 2030.

Over the course of the next five years, it is anticipated that the government’s whole investment would enable 9,30,000 students to start playing cricket and provide each of the program’s participating schools with around 2,500 new pieces of equipment.

It’s no secret that I like cricket. As a youngster, I saw Hampshire play at my local pitch in Southampton and discovered the romance of cricket,” Sunak said.

“Getting outdoors and enjoying the game is equally appealing to young people watching their first match today, especially as we approach closer to hosting the women’s and men’s T20 World Cups. He said, “There is still a ton of room to develop the sport and make it accessible to people from all walks of life and everywhere in the nation.

“That’s why I’m so happy that we are investing a significant GBP 35 million in grassroots cricket today to promote healthy lifestyles, increase school participation, and give local communities access to top-notch, year-round facilities,” he said.

The 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be hosted in England and Wales, and as part of the investment, a significant capital program will be implemented that will see the construction of 16 cutting-edge outdoor all-weather cricket domes in host towns around England over the course of the next five years.

According to Downing Street, each dome will be constructed in a diverse community with low levels of physical activity.

Three charities will receive GBP 14 million from this funding: ACE, which engages youth of African and/or Caribbean heritage; Chance to Shine, which provides accessible cricket to schools and local communities; and Lord’s Taverners, which focuses on providing cricket access for kids with special education needs and disabilities.

Cricket player for England James Anderson stated, “It’s fantastic to hear that today’s announcement will support state school students. I know from first-hand experience that accessing cricket from a state school is not always the easiest route into the game.”

The ACE Program, Lord’s Taverners, and Chance to Shine are all very important in introducing cricket to young people. In implementing their programs across England and Wales, it’s critical that they have the backing of the ECB and the government, and he expressed confidence that today’s news would encourage more young people to take up cricket.

The news comes as the England women are playing New Zealand and ahead of the UK and Ireland hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2030. It also comes with the men’s County championship season beginning this week and the summer term, when cricket is traditionally played in schools, about to begin.

Richard Thompson, the head of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said, “Our goal is for cricket to become the most inclusive sport in the nation. We start by allowing kids to play from an early age and from whatever background or community they come from.”

It is essential that cricket be offered at as many state schools as possible in Wales and England, as well as in a variety of communities. The government’s backing has been important in allowing the game to make big investments in regions that have not had the necessary support up to this point, the speaker added.

In addition to celebrating cricket’s return to the Olympics after almost 130 years, the ECB is gearing up to host the World Cups for both men and women in 2026 and 2030. This is a terrific way to attract a wider audience of youth.

The statement on Friday comes after the UK Government’s Sports Strategy was released in the previous year. It included plans to enhance the nation’s physical fitness and health, including “unprecedented” government financing for community-based sports facilities and the expansion of school sports participation nationwide.

By 2030, 3.5 million additional people—including 1 million youth—should be active, according to the Sport Strategy. This encompasses individuals of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, with an emphasis on increasing involvement among the least engaged.