ICC's Anurag Dahiya on Blazing a Trail for Mobile Cricket Viewing in India

'We created an entirely new production approach'

Anurag is currently chief commercial officer of the International Cricket Council. 

We spent two minutes with Anurag to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired. 

Anurag, tell us …

Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?

I grew up in India—in a town called Faridabad. I studied in Chandigarh and Kolkata and worked across the country, mainly in Delhi, before moving to Singapore in 2004. Since 2020, I’ve been based in Dubai.

What is your earliest sports memory?

Delhi hosting the 1982 Asian Games. I still remember my dad taking us to some of the events. But the more emotional one has to be the image of Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup in 1983. That moment has stayed with me.

Who are some of your favorite sports team(s)?

As an Indian, I naturally bleed blue for our cricket teams—it’s practically a statutory requirement that comes with the passport. Though in my current role, I have to stay strictly neutral during events when the women and men in blue play. What many don’t know is that I’m also a big fan of the Afghanistan cricket team. In the IPL, I support the Delhi Capitals.

Favorite athlete(s).

Sunil Gavaskar and Jesse Owens.

What is your favorite sports movie and/or show?

Film: I loved ’83—a wonderfully “un-Bollywood” take on India’s 1983 World Cup triumph.

What is your favorite sports podcast or news show?

I recently enjoyed the DP World Dressing Room series, hosted by the very talented Fakhr-e-Alam. It featured some great conversations and a fresh perspective.

What is a recent project you’re proud of?

I’m especially proud of our vertical coverage of cricket tailored for mobile viewing. It’s been a game-changer for fans. We didn’t just adapt TV coverage for phones—we created an entirely new production approach. From leveraging machine learning to developing a visual vocabulary for mobile, it’s been exciting to see it reshape the experience for fans.

Someone else’s work that you admired recently.

I deeply admire the work done by Uday Shankar, Sanjog Gupta and their teams at Star, Jio and JioStar. They’ve transformed how cricket is viewed in India. Taking a sport already so deeply woven into the fabric of the country and still finding ways to elevate it is no small feat. Their innovations—multi-language productions, immersive studio shows, interactive fan experiences and tech-powered insights—haven’t just enhanced viewing; they’ve grown the audience meaningfully. That takes real vision and sharp execution.

What sports can do that nothing else can.

Sport has this incredible way of making grownups feel like kids again. I’ve seen it break down walls—national, cultural, social, even political. It brings people together in ways few other things can. It’s joy, heartbreak, hope and magic, all rolled into one. It connects us—no matter who we are or where we come from. Nothing else does that quite the same way.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the sports space.

I’d be in the tech space—but I’d still be itching to build products for the sports business. It’s hard to stay away from something you love.