The Cricket Club Of India

The Cricket Club of India (CCI) is a private club incorporated on 8th November, 1933, with an objective to promote cricket and other sports in the country. Its contributions to sports and cricket in particular, have given it a unique position in the history of not only India but the entire world. Grant Govan, a British businessman from Delhi initiated the concept of establishing this great institution on reclaimed land of 90,000 sq yards abutting the Arabian Sea, granted by Lord Brabourne, the then Governor of Bombay. The stadium constructed on that land is named as Brabourne Stadium and was officially inaugurated on 7th December 1937 by hosting a cricket match between Lord Tennyson’s XI and CCI.

Thereafter, several great cricket tournaments and matches have taken place on its famed grounds. The most popular over the years have been, the prestigious Pentangular Tournament, the first test match between India and West Indies, the ICC Champions’ Trophy and the first T20 international on Indian soil between India and Australia. Recently, CCI played host to the Mumbai Indians’ team for the third season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 3). The stadium saw a high-profiled audience and packed stands.

Though cricket has been the mainstay of CCI, besides it, other sports such as tennis, badminton, squash, billiards and snooker, swimming are also being promoted. Many prestigious international events of these other sports are even held at CCI including ATP Tournaments. Apart from sports, Brabourne Stadium hosted grand cultural events and musical concerts which include performances by greats such as John McLaughlin, Placido Domingo and Rolling Stones.

Today, CCI continues to be the leader of sports in India and is recognized as one of the most prestigious clubs in the country with reciprocal arrangements with many leading sports clubs all over the world.