Cricket is widely believed to have originated in England. However, some historians believe that the name that the name cricket is derived from "croquet" which was popular in France before the "birth" of cricket. Indeed, there is a French word "criquet" which strengthens some historians' belief about the game's French ancestry. However, cricket was not known in France in the 12th or 13th century when it began to gain popularity in England. In any case, the exact date or year of origin of cricket is not known but it was around the 12th or 13th century.
Malaysian Cricket dates back to the mid-19th century, comparing favourably with some of the Test-playing nations of today. Malaysian history shows that the game was brought to Malaya by the English who also helped promote the sport among the locals. In 1998, Cricket will be making its debut in the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
