Big pitch: Cricket as India’s soft power

Economists call it the Pareto Principle – the fact that most things in life are not perfectly proportional (1/1), where each unit of “input” (effort, time, labour) contributes an equal unit of output. Instead, this rule observes that 80% of results often come from just 20% of causes. For decades, Indian sport has been the perfect case study of this rule. Among the many sports, cricket alone accounted for most of our sporting output – effort, reward, recognition. For India, cricket is more than a game: it is a national obsession, a lucrative industry, a powerful lever for exerting global influence, and an emotional sentiment.

That emotion found its ultimate expression recently, when 50 years on from their debut on the world stage, Harmanpreet Kaur’s Indian women’s cricket team scripted history at the DY Patil Stadium. Playing their third final after the heartbreaks of 2005 and 2017, India lifted their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final.

This victory also marks a watershed year for Indian sport. Earlier in Dubai, the men’s team had triumphed in the ICC Champions Trophy, clinching their third title. Together, these wins symbolise not just cricketing success, but the coming of age of India’s broader sporting ambition.

That ambition extends into policy as well. Inaugurating the Khelo India Youth Games in Bihar earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi remarked that India’s soft power will increase with the growth of sports culture in the country. He stressed that the government’s focus on modernising sports infrastructure aligns with the long-cherished dream of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games – a move that could enhance India’s diplomatic posture and global standing.

The belief that success in sport can enhance a nation’s image is not uniquely Indian. Around the world, countries – particularly smaller or emerging ones – are investing in elite sports. The underlying conviction is that success in global competitions such as the Olympics or world championships can amplify a nation’s soft power. Until recently, however, empirical evidence confirming this link was limited.

In 2020, Dongfeng Liu (International Professor of Sports Management for the Shanghai campus of the Sports Business School) surveyed French citizens to examine how China’s Olympic performance shaped their perceptions of the country. His study found that sporting success positively affects perceptions of national power.

Liu noted that countries with controversial political systems often rely on sport to foster goodwill and global visibility. China, frequently criticised for its human rights record, has used its sporting dominance to strengthen diplomacy – training athletes from African nations like Madagascar and signing partnerships with Kenya to exchange expertise in long-distance running. In doing so, China demonstrates how athletic excellence can move beyond the playing field and evolve into a diplomatic asset.

For India, a democracy with cultural depth and global goodwill, the soft power potential of sport is greater. Cricket, for example, followed by hundreds of millions of people, is a defining part of India’s global brand. Its benevolent hegemony has become a source of economic heft, international recognition, and cultural influence.

Money spinner, social leveller

China has even sought India’s support to develop cricket in cities like Chongqing, underscoring the sport’s expanding diplomatic reach. The Indian Premier League (IPL) vividly demonstrates the immense economic and cultural power of Indian sport. This three-hour cricket spectacle attracts the world’s best players with multi-million-dollar contracts, backed by India’s vast television audience. In FY 2023-24, the IPL generated Rs 5,761 crore of BCCI’s Rs 9,741.7 crore revenue – nearly 60%. Started in 2008, within just 17 years, its business valuation hit approximately $18.5 billion, making it among the richest sports leagues in the world, and putting it in the same financial orbit as the NFL, which generates around $18-19 billion annually.

Yet cricket’s true power runs far deeper than its commercial clout. In a country of vast inequalities, it offers an illusion of equality – a rare sense that rich and poor, urban and rural, win and lose together. When the cricketers cry on live television, they make the nation cry too. It is what Benedict Anderson famously described as an imagined community – where millions, unknown to each other, momentarily become one. This emotional unity is a form of soft power in itself, shaping how India sees itself and how the world sees India.

But, beneath all the glitter lie serious challenges. Underinvestment in facilities and coaching restricts the country’s sporting potential. Addressing this through sustained grassroots funding can ensure talent from every corner of India thrives.

Gender disparity remains another concern. Ranked 131st on the Global Gender Gap Index, India continues to grapple with deep-rooted gender disparities. The country has often been criticised for limited female participation in sports, especially cricket. Yet the launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), backed by a $500-million investment similar to the one that started the men’s IPL, signals a powerful shift.

In a cricket-crazy nation that follows its players on and off the field, athletes like Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and Harmanpreet Kaur, among others, have become icons of resilience and aspiration – role models who can help move the needle on multiple social issues.

By tackling these structural barriers, cricket in particular can elevate India’s soft power. After all, a nation’s global image is as much shaped by its victories on the field as by the well-being and equality of its people off it.

(The writer is a research student at St Stephen’s College, Delhi. He has
previously worked as a research
associate with a Member of
Parliament)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.