China's rise in cricket imminent: ACC

BEIJING: The time, when China would rise as a cricketing nation is not far and increased investments to promote the game in the world's most populous nation is safeand worthwhile, a senior Asian Cricket Council (ACC) official said here.

"We have made big investment including money and technical support in developing cricket in China," ACC chief executive, Syed Ashraful Huq said.

"I am confident the investment will get paid. It is not a bad investment. It is not like going to the stock exchange and buying shares. It is a safe investment," Huq said here while attending the just-concluded national men's cricket championship.

The Chinese Cricket Association (CCA), which joined the ACC after the former was established in 2004, has been developing the sport in China in recent years by laying a foundation of professionally trained players, coaches and umpires.

Huq, who has visited China twice each year since 2002, is impressed by the sport's progress among young people and believes China will jump to a mid-level standard in Asia within two years.

"I saw the same boys playing last year and what they are playing now is very different.

"In about two years, they will come up to a level of, say, if not India, Pakistan, maybe other countries like Malaysia and Singapore.

"And by 2010, who knows (what will happen for the China's cricket). In three years, they might do something amazing.

Huq believes China will play a pivotal role in making cricket a truly global sport.

"We have trained hundreds of local coaches here," he said.

"I am hopeful China will play well because if China plays well, then the value of the sport will go up over the world.

"Only when major countries like China play the sport, we can say the sport is truly a global sport," he was quoted as saying by 'China Daily.'