Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals has taken another decisive step in its global expansion journey with the launch of its first-ever cricket academy in North America. The Delhi Capitals Cricket Academy – Canada, based in Mississauga, Ontario, marks a significant milestone for the franchise as it seeks to build a globally connected pathway for emerging cricket talent.
The new academy strengthens Delhi Capitals’ growing international footprint and follows the franchise’s successful overseas presence in the United Kingdom. With cricket witnessing rapid growth across North America—both in participation and infrastructure—the Canada launch signals the franchise’s long-term commitment to grassroots development beyond India.
Expanding the Capitals’ global vision
Located in Mississauga, one of Canada’s most diverse and cricket-loving cities, the academy will operate in partnership with the Ontario Cricket Academy (OCA). The centre will adopt Delhi Capitals’ established high-performance coaching curriculum, focusing on structured training, technical excellence, physical conditioning, and long-term athlete development.
Trial sessions and talent identification programmes are scheduled for January 2026, with full-scale training programmes set to begin soon after. The academy aims to identify promising young cricketers and provide them with a professional environment aligned with global standards.
“This expansion is about more than geography—it’s about philosophy,” said Sunil Gupta, CEO of Delhi Capitals. “The launch of the Delhi Capitals Cricket Academy in Canada is a key step in building a strong and sustainable global development ecosystem. North America is witnessing rapid growth in cricket participation and infrastructure, and this academy allows us to extend our coaching philosophy and performance frameworks to aspiring players in the region.”
Gupta added that the franchise remains focused on creating clear pathways for players to progress from grassroots levels to elite competition. “Our focus remains on sharing best practices, building long-term structures, and supporting young cricketers as they aim to compete at the highest level,” he said.
Building on UK success
The Canada academy becomes Delhi Capitals’ second international hub after the successful launch of the Delhi Capitals Sajid Mahmood Cricket Academy in London. That initiative helped establish the franchise’s coaching presence in the UK, a mature cricket market with deep grassroots systems.
With the North America expansion, Delhi Capitals is positioning itself as one of the few IPL franchises to invest consistently in overseas player development. The move also reflects the franchise’s belief that future cricket talent will increasingly emerge from non-traditional markets.
A boost for Canadian cricket
For the Ontario Cricket Academy, the partnership represents a natural progression of its long-standing work in Canadian cricket. Founded over two decades ago, OCA has played a major role in developing players who have gone on to represent Canada at the national level.
Derek Perera, Founder and Director of OCA, said the collaboration would open new doors for young cricketers. “Ontario Cricket Academy has always believed in building players the right way—through structure, discipline, and long-term development. For over 20 years, our pathway has produced more Canadian representatives than any other academy.”
“As cricket in North America becomes increasingly professional, this partnership with Delhi Capitals allows us to connect Canadian talent with global standards, elite environments, and real opportunities,” Perera added. “We are excited about what this means not just for OCA, but for the future of Canadian cricket as a whole.”
Strengthening a growing academy network
The Mississauga centre adds further depth to the Delhi Capitals Academy network, which continues to expand across India and overseas. The franchise currently operates multiple high-performance centres, school partnerships, and development programmes aimed at making quality coaching accessible and inclusive.
By aligning overseas academies with its core technical framework, Delhi Capitals is working toward a unified global system—one that allows young players from different parts of the world to train under the same philosophy and performance benchmarks.
About Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals competes in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Co-owned by the GMR Group and the JSW Group, the franchise was founded in 2008 as Delhi Daredevils before rebranding as Delhi Capitals in 2019.
The team reached its maiden IPL final in 2020 and has since established itself as a consistent performer. In women’s cricket, Delhi Capitals became one of the five founding teams of the WPL in 2023 and has reached the final in all three editions so far, finishing as runners-up each time.
With its latest move into Canada, Delhi Capitals has made clear that its ambitions stretch well beyond match results—toward shaping the future of cricket on a truly global scale.
