NEW YORK, April 3: Although Pakistani, Indian and West Indian communities have been playing cricket in New York City for years, it was never accepted as a recognised team sport here until Wednesday when it was incorporated in the city school system.

The New York City’s Department of Education made cricket its newest league sport, with about 600 high school students playing on 14 teams during a 12-game season.

A spokesman for the education department said New York’s was the only public school system in the United States to offer competitive cricket as a team sport like popular games of baseball, basketball and football.

The first cricket matches were played in the borough of Queens school district, a hub of the South Asian communities.

The New York state’s department of parks and creation is also holding a cricket tournament in June at a park in Brooklyn.