One of cricket's fiercest rivalries comes to the US

On Thursday, the U.S. national cricket team pulled off a shocking upset by defeating Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.

The success of Team USA couldn’t have come at a better time for American promoters of the game. The biennial tournament, which features national teams playing a shorter version of cricket, is being held in the U.S. and the West Indies for the first time.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has had only a couple of days to regroup before its big match tomorrow against its longtime rival, India.

For cricket fans among North America’s South Asian diaspora, it’s the sporting event of the year, and ticket prices have been going for as high as $50,000. A group of scholars of culture, communication and sports explore the roots of this historic rivalry, which transcend the pitch and tell a story of colonization, religion and politics.

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