How did the cricket become popular in the west Indies?

(i) Racial equality and political progress: Despite the fact that till 1930s, the
cricket was dominated by white elites, it became popular in the West Indies because success at cricket became a measure of racial equality and political progress. At the time of independence, political leaders like Forbes Burnham and Eric Williams considered the game as a mark of self- respect and international standing.
(ii) Pan-West Indian team and victory celebration as a national achievement: West Indies won its first Test series against England in 1950. It was celebrated as a national achievement, as a way of demonstrating that West Indies were the equals of white Englishmen. This victory was important for two reasons. One it was captained by a white player. Secondly, the team represented not one nation but several dominions that later became independent countries. Even now the pan-West Indian team represents the Caribbean region in international Test cricket. This confirms the popularity of the cricket in the region because otherwise all efforts to bring about West Indian unification have failed.