When you think of Brazil, cricket probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.

You think of football. You think of Pelé, Romário, Rivaldo and Neymar. You think of the players who changed the game, brought Brazilian flair to the world stage and made football part of the country’s identity.

But what if I told you that something similar is happening in cricket?

Brazil is building its own cricket story. And while we may be a long way from becoming a traditional cricket powerhouse, we are proving that you don’t need centuries of history to create a cricket culture of your own.

From 26 children to a nation discovering cricket

Around 17 years ago, cricket development in Brazil began with a small project involving just 26 children. In 2025, that journey had grown to approximately 14,000 young people regularly playing cricket, with around 100,000 people involved in the sport throughout the year.

Think about that for a moment: a country where most people had barely heard of cricket two decades ago is now building a national pathway for the next generation.

Our women’s national team is ranked 27th in the world in the T20 International rankings, and our men’s programme has recently been awarded central contracts.

And here is something that makes me particularly proud: our women received central contracts five years before our men.

That wasn’t simply a marketing strategy. It reflects a deliberate decision about the kind of sport we want to build. In Brazil, girls participate in cricket at rates comparable to boys. We want women and girls to be part of cricket from the beginning, not added later as an afterthought.

For us, cricket for all is not a slogan. It is how we design the game.

Cricket, Brazilian style

One of the things I believe makes Cricket Brasil different is our determination to combine the traditions of cricket with the culture of Brazil.

Come and watch one of our matches, and you will understand what I mean.

It will be loud. People will clap for dot balls and cheer for singles. Music will be playing, tambourines will be out, and smiles will be everywhere. When a team wins a tournament, players and supporters may rush onto the field to celebrate together.

We bring passion, joy and a little bit of Brazilian chaos to a sport often associated with tradition and restraint.

Of course, cricket has its etiquette, and we respect the spirit of the game. But we also believe there is room for the game to evolve as it reaches new communities.

Why shouldn’t the flair that made Brazilian football famous also find its way into cricket?

We want our players to compete with the same creativity, courage and determination that generations of Brazilian footballers have carried onto the pitch. We want them to play with personality, to celebrate together and to believe that they belong on the international stage.

There is a powerful line at the end of Brazil’s national anthem: “Verás que um filho teu não foge à luta” — “You will see that your child does not run away from the fight.”

That spirit resonates deeply with how we approach cricket. It is a game of strategy, patience and skill, but also resilience. Sometimes you have to fight for every run, every wicket and every opportunity. You have to believe until the very last ball.

That is a message Brazilian communities understand.

Building people, not just players

Today, Cricket Brasil has a team of 73 people working towards a shared ambition: making cricket a sport for all in Brazil.

Since 2025, our place among the 38 confederations affiliated with the Brazilian Olympic Committee has helped open new possibilities, including greater investment in our national teams and the development of our organization.

But our ambition goes far beyond international results.

Through our community programs, cricket provides children with access to sport, structure, education and positive role models. Our university program supports young people from our communities as they pursue higher education and build careers.

We want them to see a future not only as athletes, but also as coaches, physiotherapists, administrators and leaders. We want them to understand that sport can be a career, a source of opportunity and a way to transform their communities.

For some, cricket becomes a pathway to the national team. For others, it opens doors they might never have imagined walking through.

And when we create opportunities for young people, we are doing more than teaching them how to bat, bowl or field. We are helping build confidence, strengthen communities and create alternatives to violence and social exclusion.

That is the real power of sport.

Think big. Start small. Build sustainably.

If there is one lesson I would share with other emerging cricket nations, it is this: you do not need to be a wealthy country with a long cricket tradition to build something meaningful.

You need a vision, a willingness to start small and the discipline to build the right foundations.

At Cricket Brasil, we focus on four essential pillars: people, pathway, process and finances.

You need the right people to deliver your vision. You need a clear pathway that takes a child from their first experience of cricket to the highest level they can reach. You need processes that allow your organization to grow professionally. And you need sound financial management to make that growth sustainable.

Without these foundations, development can remain dependent on a handful of passionate individuals. With them, it can become a system that serves entire communities and continues to grow for generations.

Our ambition is not simply to produce better cricketers. It is to make cricket a lasting part of Brazil’s sporting landscape.

We want more children playing, more women leading, more communities involved and more Brazilians believing that cricket belongs to them.

Because it does.

The next time you think of Brazil, I hope you will still think of football. I hope you will remember the goals, the celebrations and the extraordinary players who have inspired the world.

But I also hope you will think of a country making cricket its own.

A country where the music plays, the supporters cheer, the batters score centuries and the celebrations continue long after the final ball.

Brazilian flair is not limited to scoring goals.

We are bringing it to cricket, one run, one child and one community at a time.

Roberta Moretti is the President of Cricket Brasil, a former captain and long-serving player of Brazil’s women’s national cricket team, and an advocate for women’s leadership and empowerment through sport. With a background in international trade, sports management and leadership, she is passionate about using cricket to create opportunities, strengthen communities and inspire the next generation of Brazilian leaders. She also serves as an MCC Foundation Ambassador.