South Asian Cricket Academy
| Abbreviation | SACA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2022 |
| Founders | Tom Brown Kabir Ali |
| Type | Cricket development programme |
| Purpose | Increasing professional opportunities for British South Asian cricketers |
| Website | saca-uk |
South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) is a British cricket development programme created to improve routes into the professional game for British South Asian cricketers.[1][2] It was founded by Tom Brown and former England fast bowler Kabir Ali after Brown's doctoral research examined the underrepresentation of British South Asian players in professional cricket.[3][4]
Background
Brown's research found that British South Asian cricketers made up about 30 per cent of recreational cricket and 20 percent of the elite pathway in England and Wales, but less than 5 percent of male professionals.[5] According to another study published in 2024, it was reported that white privately educated British male cricketers were 34 times more likely to become professionals than state educated British South Asians.[2] SACA was established as a short term intervention programme, giving players aged 18 and over winter training and summer fixtures against county second XIs in an effort to secure trials and professional contracts.[2][5]
In 2024, funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board helped expand the academy's fixture list.[5] By September 2024, it was operating regional hubs in Birmingham, Bristol and Bradford and working with about 65 players.[2] In January 2026, SACA launched its first women's programme.[6]
Graduates
- Jafer Chohan[7]
- Andrew Umeed
- Zaman Akhter
- Zen Malik
- Kashif Ali
- Zain-ul-Hassan
- Arafat Bhuiyan
- Yadvinder Singh
- Hassan Azad
References
- ^ Hashim, Taha (10 April 2023). "Inside the rise of the South Asian Cricket Academy". Wisden. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d Hashim, Taha (4 September 2024). "South Asian Cricket Academy taps into seam of previously ignored talent". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ "How rejected South Asian players are finding a pathway into County system". 28 June 2025.
- ^ Din, Tusdiq (13 September 2023). "Kashif Ali's rise shows how much South Asian Cricket Academy is needed". The Times.
- ^ a b c "More fixtures to help British South Asian talent make breakthrough in 2024". England and Wales Cricket Board. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ "SACA extends breakthrough initiative into new women's coaching programme". ESPNcricinfo. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ Charlesworth, David (2 October 2024). "Yorkshire spinner Jafer Chohan named in England squad for Caribbean tour". The Independent. Retrieved 15 March 2026.