Howzat, Cyprus! Where to Play, Watch and Cheer for Cricket on the Island

Cyprus is a football-mad island, and most of your Cypriot colleagues will talk about APOEL, Omonia or Anorthosis long before they mention a cover drive. But for many of us, cricket isn't just a sport. It's Sunday mornings, family arguments over team selection and staying up late for a last-over finish. The good news? You don't have to give it up when you move here.

Yes, Cyprus has a cricket scene

It may surprise some people, but Cyprus has been an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2017. The national team plays official T20 Internationals, and it played its first on 5 October 2021 against Estonia at the Happy Valley Ground in Episkopi, near Limassol. Happy Valley has since hosted visiting teams from across Europe, including Austria, Finland and Croatia in 2026.

Alongside the national team, there's a domestic league, with clubs whose players come from many backgrounds, including teams from the British bases and players from the island's South Asian communities.

Want to play? Here's how to get started

• Join a club. Ask around the community or search for cricket clubs in your city. Most welcome new players, from serious batters to enthusiastic beginners.
• Start a weekend game. A tennis ball, a bat and a few friends are all you need. Check the rules of your local park or pitch before setting up, and pick a spot away from walkers and families.
• Play at work. Many companies in Limassol and Nicosia have plenty of cricket lovers on staff. An office tournament is a great way to build a team spirit.
• Get the kids involved. If your children are growing up here, cricket is a lovely way to share a piece of home with them, and to make friends from other communities too.

Watching the big matches from Cyprus

One perk of living here: the time difference is kind to cricket fans. Cyprus is two and a half hours behind India in summer and three and a half hours behind in winter. That means an evening match starting at 7:30 PM in India begins at around 5:00 PM in a Cyprus summer, perfect for watching after work instead of in the middle of the night.

Big tournaments are the best excuse to get together. Host a watch party, turn the living room into a stadium with snacks and chai, and invite your Cypriot friends. Nothing explains cricket better than a nail-biting finish.

Support Cyprus, too

Next time the national team plays at Episkopi, keep an eye on the fixtures. Cheering for Cyprus is a fun way to be part of the island's sporting life, and you might spot a few familiar names in the line-up.

Latest from the pitches (October 2026)

Cyprus cricket is having a busy autumn. Here are some highlights from the latest round-up, published in the Cyprus Mail on 19 October:

• Nicosia win the Women's T10 Cup. In a tense final on Sunday 18 October, Nicosia set a target of 74 and held off favourites Limassol to win the Women's Autumn T10 title by just two runs.
• A standout year for Cyprus women. The national women's side has won nine of its ten completed T20 internationals in 2026, while the number of local women's teams has doubled.
• A century and a four-wicket haul. Roman Mazumder, who opens the batting for Cyprus, finally reached three figures for Nicosia Tigers in the 40-over league, helped along by Karan Singh, in a total of 280 for 7. Arjun Shahi's 4 for 26 then sent Limassol Telugu packing for 88.
• A hat-trick hero. Mangala Gunasekara hit 65 and claimed 5 for 25, a hat-trick among them, as MSN Sport Club beat Kipro Tigers by 154 runs.

Clubs taking part in this season's competitions include Limassol Telugu, Telugu11 and Gujrat Lions, so there is plenty of local cricket to follow, or to join.

Do you play for a club in Cyprus or run a weekend game? Tell us about it, and we'd love to feature your team.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo1, ESPNcricinfo2, Wikipedia, Cyprus Mail (19 October 2026)