A young cricketer swings a bat during a training session. Photo: Courtesy of Zhuang Zelin

For Zhuang Zelin, a professional cricket player from Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province, introducing cricket to young people has become a responsibility. 

"I first got into cricket through learning and training overseas, and I found it to be both strategic and inclusive," Zhuang, now head of a Shenzhen-based cricket club, told the Global Times. "It's not a sport that relies solely on physical strength - it's about how you think; how you communicate with teammates. That really appeals to me."

Now focused on youth development, Zhuang and his team organize regular training sessions in partnership with a local middle school.

"Warm-weather regions like southern China are naturally suited for the game," Zhuang said. "The climate allows for year-round training, and cities with more international exposure tend to have young people who are open to trying new things."

According to Zhuang, the club's current members are mostly students, and weekend training sessions often double as social activities. "We emphasize habit-building and teamwork," he added. "Cricket abroad isn't just a competition - it's a cultural and social experience. We hope to bring that here."

Olympic 'pitch'

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport in which two teams take turns batting and fielding, aiming to score runs by hitting the ball and running between wickets. The sport will make its Olympic comeback at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, marking its first appearance since 1900.

In China, preparations began as a full-scale talent recruitment and training initiative were launched in partnership with institutions such as the Chinese Cricket Association, Tianjin University of Sport and Zhejiang University of Technology, which inherited a cricket venue from the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022.

"It's a long-term process - our sights focus on double terms: Not only on Los Angeles 2028, but also Brisbane 2032, as the sport is quite likely to remain by then," Shan Ming, the official overseeing cricket at the Small Ball Sports Management Center under China's General Administration of Sport, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

With cricket's inclusion hinging on T20 (Twenty20), the sport's fast-paced, spectator-friendly format, Chinese sports officials are opting for a targeted, cross-disciplinary athlete recruitment strategy. Provincial sports bureaus were asked to nominate high-potential athletes under 25 years old, focusing on those with strong physical ability and backgrounds in softball, baseball, athletics (especially throwing and jumping), or handball.

"Cricket is a sport that values endurance, technique and mental composure," Shan explained. "We're prioritizing athletes who can adapt quickly, commit to long-term training and have the potential to grow into elite-level players."

The pool was finally narrowed down to 31 men and 32 women by December. To sharpen their skills, selected players were sent to domestic and international training camps, including a winter stint in Australia in collaboration with Cricket New South Wales and the University of Sydney's Andrews College.

Though both teams are in their infancy, China's women's squad is being prioritized based on past achievements and international rankings. 

"Our women's team has already placed fourth twice at the Asian Games," Shan noted. "Cricket has a long nourishing pattern, where the path to international competitiveness for women is more feasible in the near term."

While China remains an associate member of the International Cricket Council, it has ramped up exchanges with full-member nations such as New Zealand and South Africa, and has invited experienced coaches from cricket-strong regions including Bangladesh and Pakistan to help raise training standards.

"In countries like India, where cricket is cherished as a national passion and often described as a religion, the sport carries a stature that China hopes to one day mirror in its own way," Shan said.

Still, challenges remain. Cricket lacks official athlete classification in China, meaning players often cannot leverage their athletic status for school admissions - an issue that complicates long-term recruitment and retention.

Elite training to grassroots revival

Despite cricket's deep global roots, especially across Commonwealth nations, the sport in China has historically faced significant barriers for entry. A combination of cultural unfamiliarity, limited infrastructure and a weak talent pipeline has kept participation numbers low.

"It's been hard to develop a homegrown talent pool through the traditional school-to-professional pathway, because cricket simply didn't exist as an option in most places," Shan said.

Now, that's starting to change. Cities like Jinan in Shandong Province and Shenyang in Liaoning Province have begun to integrate cricket into their physical education (PE) systems, aiming to nurture interest from a young age. In Jinan, dozens of primary and secondary schools are involved, with cricket being listed as one of four key sports under development by the city's education bureau. 

"By training PE teachers as cricket coaches and offering equipment and competition funding, we're helping schools build sustainable programs," Shan said. "We're also launching simplified formats like six-a-side matches with five overs per innings, which fit easily into class schedules and schoolyards."

Grassroots cricket clubs like Shenzhen's Lebo Cricket Club are also becoming hubs for youth engagement and community connection. Gao Tengwei, a cricket enthusiast and active member of the club, believes the sport's development hinges on education and habit-building. "In the beginning, many of us had zero foundation," Gao told the Global Times. "They joined out of curiosity, and we tried to create an environment where learning and fun could go hand in hand."

"Cricket isn't about brute force - it's a thinking game. But to really enjoy it, players still need a certain level of understanding," he said.

Shan also echoed that unlike many other team sports, there's no body contact. "The spirit of the sport is about mental sharpness, strategy, and mutual respect - values we hope young players can carry with them."

A Belt and Road cricket match is also planned for September, bringing together players from countries participating the initiative. "It's not just about building teams," Shan said. "It's about connecting people."

"In five to 10 years, I'd love to see more schools with cricket programs and more kids entering international platforms through this sport," Zhuang said. "We're planting seeds now - one game, one student at a time."

Young players attend a training session at a cricket club in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province. Photo: Courtesy of Zhuang Zelin