FLORIDA — Cricket is one of the world’s most popular sports with more than 2.5 billion fans globally. It is especially popular in countries including India, England, Australia and New Zealand.

The game is growing in the United States. USA Cricket reports the game is now being played by more than 200,000 people in the U.S. In Central Florida, the Indian American Business Association, known as IABA, helps oversee a local cricket league that has continued to add players and teams. The league now has 18 teams and close to 500 players.

“It’s a melting pot that we created here over the cricket pitch, and this is a great sport,” said Peter Patel, president of the Indian American Business Association.

Patel has been playing cricket since he was 5 years old and said the game has been a lifelong sport for many players in the league.

Mehul Parekh is the president of the IABA Premiere League, he said the league has built a close community through decades of play.

“Everybody is good friends. Right now you can see the emotions are a little high because the game is close and anybody can win. However, at the end of the game, we’ll shake hands, we’ll make fun of each other. You know, we’ve been playing this for almost 30 years together,” Parekh said.

There are several versions of cricket. One of the most common right now is called T-20. The game is played on a circular field with a boundary of around 70 yards, though the distance can vary by field. Bowlers bounce the ball to batters, who hit it with a flat wooden bat.

Omer Kahlid is a board member for IAVA and said cricket remains a major part of life for many players.

“I love every bit of it. It’s in our blood, cricket. It’s our passion,” Kahlid said.

IABA leaders said they hope to continue expanding adult participation, build youth teams and create more dedicated cricket fields across Central Florida.

“We’ve been playing cricket from our country but U.S.-born cricketers being incubated here through our organization, and we see the success story. It’s becoming a professional sport. So our goal is to bring the international cricket game in Central Florida,” Patel said.