| Cricket in South Africa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Governing body | Cricket South Africa |
| National team(s) | South Africa |
| Nickname(s) | The Proteas |
| First played | 1808 |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
Cricket is the third most popular sport in South Africa (behind football and rugby union). Traditionally played by English-speaking Whites, Indians, Coloureds and more recently, the Black community. The sport is now listed in the top two most popular among all race groups. Since the end of apartheid, a higher proportion of white players have come from Afrikaans-speaking backgrounds as well.
Like other Commonwealth cricket playing nations, the sport was first introduced in South Africa by the British in the early 19th Century, with the sport becoming firmly established by the 1880s. Governed by Cricket South Africa, both the professional and amateur game possess a high standard of domestic cricket, with the season running from October to March each year. South Africa is one of the world's leading cricket-playing nations and is one of the 12 countries sanctioned by the International Cricket Council to play Test Cricket. In 2012, South Africa became the first team to top the ICC rankings in all three formats of the game.
In 2003, the country hosted the Cricket World Cup, and in 2007, the inaugural World Twenty20. Along with Namibia and Zimbabwe, South Africa will jointly host the upcoming 2027 Cricket World Cup.