Summary

The King County Council on Tuesday recognized the Seattle Thunderbolts and the Saturday, June 25 kick-off of their 2022 minor league cricket season.

Story

King County Council Members, the King County Executive, the Mayor of Kent, and the Seattle Thunderbolts in the Chambers of the King County Council after the reading of the proclamation.

King County Executive Dow Constantine, Business leader David Malik, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, Azeem Khan, Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall, King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer.

The King County Council on Tuesday recognized the Seattle Thunderbolts and the Saturday, June 25 kick-off of their 2022 minor league cricket season. Present at the council meeting were players and coaches from the Thunderbolts, as well as Major League Cricket and civic leaders David Malik, Vijay Beniwal, and Jagan Nemani, who have been instrumental in bringing cricket to the region.

“From Bellevue to Bengaluru, the United Kingdom to Australia, cricket is a universal sport that brings countless communities together from all over the world,” said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, who proposed the recognition. “I was impressed with the size and enthusiasm of the crowd at Marymoor Park. As our region has grown, so has our appetite for new sports and I know cricket will take the Pacific Northwest by storm.”

With over one billion fans, cricket is a global sport whose popularity in King County has grown with the influx of new residents from South Asia, the United Kingdom, and the rest of the world. The enthusiasm stretches beyond fans to local elected and business leaders.

“I am very honored to be recognized as part of the effort to both support the Seattle Thunderbolts and bring Major League Cricket to King County”, said David Malik, a business leader in South King County who fell in love with cricket as a young man in India. “Cricket is a wonderful international sport that brings communities from various backgrounds together, and I look forward to continuing to work with and partner with King County to help grow cricket in the Puget Sound region.”

“As our county grows, so does our residents’ interest in cricket, one of the most popular sports in the world. Cricket is loved by people of all ages and backgrounds, bringing people together and building community” said Councilmember Claudia Balducci, Chair of the King County Council. “I am thrilled that we at King County are partnering to bring the joy of amateur and professional cricket to our region.”

“Kent is one of the most diverse cities in the entire country, and we see definite support in our community for sports that reflect that – cricket is it” said Kent Mayor Dana Ralph. “We are grateful for the effort community leaders have made to bring cricket to South King County, and look forward to building on our experience with Kent’s first cricket pitch as the sport grows in our region.”

The Seattle Thunderbolts will kick off their 2022 minor league season with the first game of the season against the East Bay Blazers at 2 p.m. on June 25, 2022 at Tollgate Farm Park in North Bend. 

Seattle Thunderbolts Owner Vijay Beniwal and Pete von Reichbauer during the reading of the recognition.