TORONTO – Saad Zafar is ready to take cricket to the next level in Canada, both on the pitch and in the stands.
Zafar, Canada’s captain in the upcoming Cricket World Cup, was scheduled to throw out the first pitch on Friday before the Toronto Blue Jays host the Minnesota Twins. His appearance was part of the Rogers Centre’s Cricket Night, an event designed to bring together fans of both bat and ball sports.
“It will put us in the limelight. This will get us in the news,” Zafar said, standing in the ballpark’s 200-level concourse hours before the game. “It will generate eyeballs and sponsorship and funds that are usually lacking can be used for infrastructure development. We can start grassroots cricket and promote cricket to children and schools so that we can have homegrown talent.
“It can actually do a lot. Events like this can be a huge help in developing the sport in the country.”
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The 37-year-old Pakistani-Canadian all-rounder, who began playing for Canada in 2008, was one of several cricketers to take to the field before the Blue Jays took to the field. They were there to cross-promote the two sports and raise awareness that Canada will be competing in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time next month.
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Canada opens its group stage against the United States on June 1 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas. The event is co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies.
“It has always been my dream to represent Canada at the World Cup because it is the biggest tournament in cricket,” Zafar said. “It doesn’t get any bigger than that. It has a huge audience.
“It has been a lifelong dream of mine to represent Canada at the World Cup and it has finally come true. “I’m really looking forward to it and looking forward to it,” he said.
Former West Indies cricketers Kirtley Ambrose and Richie Richardson, both from Antigua and Barbuda, also toured the Rogers Center on Friday.
“My ambition is to see cricket become a more global sport than football,” said Richardson, who will referee this World Cup match. “That is my goal. That’s what I want to see.
“So when something like this happens where Canada and other smaller countries are getting the opportunity to be on the world stage, it means the game is spreading.”
White cricket caps with the Blue Jays logo on the front were given to the first 15,000 fans to attend the game with the Twins as part of Friday’s Cricket Night. The ballpark’s concession stand has also added one-night-only specials to the menu, such as mini samosas, “Delitin” fries, a poutine with shredded paneer cheese and butter chicken, and chai latte churros.
Christine DesJardine, Blue Jays vice president of brand and digital marketing, said this is all part of an effort to introduce cricket fans to their North American cousins.
“We know that many new Canadians have grown up in countries where they have never been exposed to the game of baseball. But they play cricket and are big fans of the game,” she said. “So we invite all cricket fans to the ballpark tonight to learn and experience great things about cricket, while also learning about baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
