ALTHOUGH cricket has been recreationally played by expatriates since 1890 during the era of Thai King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the game has seen rapid development in the country since 2004.
In 2017, the fully ethnic Thai women’s team became T20 Sea Games champions, going a step further by qualifying for next year’s ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
The men also displayed sparkling performances in Southeast Asia, although they have yet to win anything significant.
Today, Thailand has national boys and girls teams for the Under-15, Under-17, Under-19 and the adult men’s and women’s teams in annual Asian Cricket Council (ACC)-sponsored tournaments.
Cricket Association of Thailand (CAT) chief executive Mohideen A. Kader told the New Straits Times the Thai men’s national team had a mix of expatriates and young talent.
“Just like international rugby rules, the International Cricket Council (ICC) also allows expatriates who have lived a minimum of three years to play for their country of domicile.
“Thus, we now have seasoned nationals from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Australia and South Africa who are grooming and guiding the younger set.”
He said this in conjunction with the inaugural international
limited 50-over and T20 matches between the Thai national team and Malaysian Armed Forces at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Samut Prakan, 9km from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
Mohideen said CAT was fortunate to have Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin leasing the vacant land to them to play the game.
“We spent a considerable sum to prepare the ground to meet international cricket standards, in addition to erecting a small clubhouse and tents for the teams,” said Mohideen, an Indian national married to local Jasana Kader. The couple have two sons.
Mohideen, a retired trader, has lived in Bangkok for 35 years.
On CAT’s ambitious ‘Sawasdee’ cricket development programme, Mohideen said more youths, especially schoolchildren, were getting interested in cricket.
“The programme has been building a fast-growing group of young cricketers. Today, we have an estimated 10,000 ethnic youngsters, aged 12 years and above, playing the game in 23 provinces,” he said, adding that there was also a special programme for 9-year-olds.
“We have provided an academy to train the youth by fully sponsoring their studies, accommodation, meals and playing attire. The first batch of four girls and two boys have just graduated from the academy and have secured places in local universities.”
CAT also runs a national Under-15 league involving teams of 12 boys and 12 girls, apart from a regular tournament for adults involving 19 teams in three divisions.
“The girls have caught on with the game quite rapidly. In 2007, they finished last out of 10 teams in the inaugural ACC women’s tournament in Johor Baru. Two years later, they became runners-up and since then have been champions,” said Mohideen.
The Thai women recorded 17 consecutive T20 international victories.
During the ICC T20 World Cup qualifier in Scotland last September, they won their three group matches, beating the Netherlands, Namibia and Ireland.
They beat Papua New Guinea in the semifinals, only to lose by 70 runs to Asia Cup champions Bangladesh in the final.
But it was enough for them to qualify for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia next year, where they are grouped with England, South Africa, the West Indies and Pakistan.
Thailand’s leading bowler, Chanida Sutthiruang, was adjudged “Player of the Tournament” for taking 12 wickets for 68 runs.
Thailand’s captain and leading spinner, Sornnarin Tippoch, spinner Suleeporn Laomi and batsman Naruemol Chaiwai were named in the ICC Women’s Global Development Squad to tour Australia in the Women’s Big Bash League.
In Thailand, cricket became a competitive sport with the formation of the Thailand Cricket League (TCL) in 1971.
Today, cricket is actively played in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Hua Hin, Eastern Seaboard, Phuket, Chonburi, Phetchabun, Khao Yai, Chantaburi, Suphan Buri, Lopburi, Srisaket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Mahasarakam, Pattani, Uttaradit and Lamphun.
In 2004, with the blessing of the Sports Authority of Thailand, the TCL was renamed CAT.
In the past 20 years, the profile of cricket in Thailand has been raised with the popularity of cricket sixes. Starting with Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC) Sixes in Bangkok, it has spread to Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Phuket.
Thailand fielded its first national team in 1990, culminating with participation in the inaugural 1996 ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur and in the inaugural 1997 Under-19 Youth Asia Cup in Hong Kong.
On the inaugural international limited 50-over and T20 matches between the Thai national team and the Malaysian Armed Forces, Mohideen said it would be played home and away in alternate years.
“We want to keep it going just like the annual inter-port series involving the RBSC, Kowloon Sports Club of Hong Kong, Penang Sports Club, Royal Selangor Club and the Singapore Cricket Club, that has been ongoing for 84 years.
“In fact, RBSC was the first to introduce cricket sixes to the world in 1984,” said Mohideen, who played for RBSC and was instrumental in establishing the first Thai national team in 1994.
For the record, the Malaysian Armed Forces won the 50-over CAT challenge trophy match by 100 runs and beat the Thais by seven runs in the General Tan Sri Affendi Buang challenge trophy match.
Affendi is the Royal Malaysian Air Force chief and is expected to succeed General Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin as armed forces chief next month.
Both matches were umpired by Pakistani nationals Arif Ansari, who runs an online trading business, and high school teacher Samad Akbar. Both have been living and working in Bangkok for three decades.
The Malaysian Armed Forces team comprised seven players who represented the country in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, where they bagged the 50-over gold and T20 silver.
Six armed forces women also played for Malaysia, winning the T20 Sea Games bronze.
Thailand won the men’s 50-over and T20 bronze.