Anime meets cricket as Crunchyroll backs Proteas

MUMBAI: Cricket just got an animated twist as Cricket South Africa has brought Crunchyroll on board as associate team sponsor for the Proteas Men’s series in India, running from 14 November to 19 December.

The partnership places Crunchyroll’s branding on the team’s jerseys across all formats, including Test, ODI and T20 matches. For Crunchyroll, it marks a bold step into global sport, placing the anime platform front and centre in one of world cricket’s most-watched tours.

The association highlights how anime and cricket share a spirited fandom powered by emotion, drama and storytelling, creating a cultural bridge between India, South Africa and a rapidly growing global audience.

CSA chief executive officer Pholetsi Moseki said, “CSA takes pride in welcoming Crunchyroll as the official team sponsor for the upcoming India series. With anime becoming one of the world’s most dominant entertainment forces, soon to have over a billion viewers, we see this partnership as a celebration of shared values and a drive to connect with global audiences.”

Crunchyroll senior vice president, growth and planning Kartik Gandhi added, “We’re thrilled to partner with Cricket South Africa for this exciting series with India. Cricket and anime both capture the intensity of competition and the joy of shared fandom. This partnership strengthens our ongoing focus on bringing together the worlds of sports and anime, combining the spirit of anime with cricket across two dynamic markets with growing anime fandoms: India and South Africa.”

As the Proteas prepare for a high-voltage tour, their jerseys will carry a fresh pop of culture, proving that on this field, passion plays well across languages, nations and genres.