Cricket stars Brook, Wong named MLB Europe ambassadors

English cricket sensations Issy Wong and Harry Brook were named MLB Europe ambassadors on Thursday as Major League Baseball looks to strengthen its following in Europe ahead of the 2023 London Series which takes the historic Cubs-Cardinals rivalry to an international stage.

While the 20-year-old Wong has already made her mark on the game of cricket as a member of the England women's national team, she is hoping the new partnership with MLB can bring her closer to America's national pastime -- and maybe even help her refine her own game.

"It's a super exciting opportunity to me," Wong said. "Cricket and baseball are actually more linked than a lot of people might first think, so I think there's definitely a lot I can learn from baseball. And hopefully, a lot of fans who are engaged with cricket over here can start engaging with baseball."

That includes Wong herself. Though she said she doesn't yet have a favorite team of her own, her father, Dom, is "pretty into baseball," and he has even attended a few games in the United States.

As for Issy, the frontrunner to claim her MLB fandom seems to be the Cubs, who will take on the Cardinals in a two-game series on June 24-25 at London Stadium.

"I'm backing the Cubs for the London Series," Wong said. "So I'm going to start watching a few of their games and see what I can pick up. I've been given a jersey with 'Wong' on the back, so I'm pretty stoked about that."

Brook, on the other hand, is going red.

"It’s going to be amazing to see baseball firsthand in the U.S. and help spread the word back in the UK and hopefully help build baseball’s fanbase here," Brook said. "I’ll be cheering on the Cardinals, of course.”

Wong and her fellow London faithful are hoping this year's London Series can match the excitement of the thrilling 2019 variation that pitted the archrival Yankees and Red Sox against one another in the first MLB games played in Europe. The storied franchises wasted no time putting on a show for the 59,659 fans in attendance -- the largest crowd at an MLB game since Sept. 28, 2003 -- with each club scoring six runs in a chaotic first inning.

The Yankees went on to win a 17-13 slugfest in the opening game, then rallied from a four-run deficit -- thanks in part to a nine-run seventh inning -- to complete the sweep with a 12-8 victory the following day.

Given the way those two games played out, it's little surprise that fans are eager for MLB's return to London this summer.

"The general feeling for it coming back this year is everyone's excited," Wong said. "People like seeing different sports, that's always exciting. Hopefully it goes well and more people will engage with baseball and enjoy it, because from what I've seen, it looks like a really exciting game and a great experience."

The 2023 London Series is part of the MLB WORLD TOUR, which plans to feature regular-season and exhibition games in Asia, Europe, Mexico and Latin America through the 2026 season.

“MLB’s goal in Europe is to introduce baseball to a new audience through content and event experiences," said MLB Europe managing director Ben Ladkin. "We are excited to work with Issy and Harry, who are superstars in cricket, and give them an opportunity to explore the world of baseball.”