Could cricket come to Texas?

Cricket, anyone?

Texas’ new secretary of state, Carlos Cascos, who is tasked with everything from serving as the chief election officer to promoting the state, says bringing the bat-and-ball game here is a real possibility.

“It would be one game, to introduce it to the United States,” Cascos told a crowd of hundreds gathered for a Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday at the Petroleum Club.

The idea of hosting such a game in Texas came up recently when Cascos spoke with an Indian businessman.

The proposed match, likely between teams from India and Pakistan, would probably be held in Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston because those cities have large enough facilities.

The game would take as long as two years to plan, Cascos said, but if it does happen, it could draw more viewers than a Super Bowl traditionally does.

That means more attention — and more business — for Texas.

“It opens up a whole new market,” Cascos said during the chamber’s Leaders in Government Series. “We could have billions of people watching this match coming out of Texas.

“It’s an opportunity we need to grasp … or we will lose out on it.”

Cascos was appointed this year by Gov. Greg Abbott and was sworn in as the 110th secretary of state in March. He previously served as Cameron County judge and county commissioner and as a member of the Texas Public Safety Commission.

“He was a Republican elected official in Cameron County — the only one,” Dee Kelly Jr. told the crowd as he announced Cascos.

Cascos has traveled the state to tout its economic diversity and strength and to point out that Texas remains the nation’s leader in job growth.

As the state’s unofficial ambassador, he recently took the suggestion of hosting a cricket match to heart.

For Texans, the game would be a big departure from baseball, football, soccer and basketball.

Cricket, which pits two teams of 11 players each on a 350-foot-long oval field, is enjoyed by more than 100 million players worldwide.

“It’s to expose the game to other parts of the world,” Cascos said. “I think it would be a great way for Texas to showcase itself to an emerging market such as India.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Could cricket come to Texas?."