Pedro Barón couldn’t stay still when he was a kid. That’s why his parents dropped him off at the Belgrano Athletic Club to do sport. Cricket was the one that most piqued his interest. Today, he’s the captain of Argentina’s men’s national team.

With the team set to host the 2024 Americas Sub-regional Qualifier, the first step before the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, he spoke to the Herald about the national team’s goals, his career as a cricketer, and what Argentina needs to compete at the highest level.

Dreams of the World Cup

“The team is in a great mood after the 2024 South American Championships,” Barón said. For that competition, he was chosen tournament most valuable player and best batsman. Argentina finished in third place.

“We showed we have a great team and some very good players. We’re optimistic, eager and hungry for wins. We want to finish in the top three.”

The Sub-regional Qualifiers are the first step towards the India and Sri Lanka 2026 World Cup. Nine teams, including Argentina, are set to play round-robin matches from December 6 to 16 across four grounds in Buenos Aires. The top three go on to the Regional Final, where Canada will join them. The winner of that round robin snags a World Cup spot.

Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are the favorites, while Suriname — returning after a long competitive hiatus — is the wild card. Panama, always a tough match for Argentina, is also in the mix.

There are no easy games, Barón says. Every rival will pit Argentina against its own unique challenge. The Argentine team, meanwhile, has yet to qualify for a World Cup. He believes developing and expanding the player base is key to making the national side competitive.

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Cricket remains a niche sport in Argentina, although recent growth has seen brand new U-15 boys’ and girls’ tournaments emerge.

“When I started, there was a huge 15 or 20 year gap between my generation and the preceding one,” Barón said. “Now, I see many boys and girls playing.”

Argentina can’t take the advantage of home turf for granted. Two years ago, nearly a thousand fans gathered at Belgrano Athletic’s stadium as the national team narrowly missed the chance to qualify. Barón expects the fans to make themselves heard again.

A mark for the future

Like all his teammates, Barón is an amateur athlete. Every national team member has a day job or university studies — and some have both. Training moments come at a premium, but every player makes an effort to be there. 

“We always aim for two to three gym workouts a week, and also running sessions to stay fit,” he said. 

They also do specific workouts with cricket nets (a pitch enclosed by netting) to improve batting and bowling techniques, and with a ball-throwing machine that allows players to set the speed and bouncing point to practice specific bowls.

After that, Saturday is gameday in the Argentine championship, and on Sunday they take to the field once again for fielding and match simulation practice.

“I’ve always enjoyed the strategic and mental side of cricket, but also the social side,” said Barón. “I feel it’s a great combination of an individual and a team sport, because you do both, depending on whether you’re bowling, batting, or fielding. Matches are long so you’re always sharing time with friends.”

Despite sharing Argentina national team captain status with the likes of Lionel Messi, Agustín Pichot and Luciana Aymar, Barón knows none of the fame that usually goes with it. That’s not something he’s ever thought about. 

“I’m honored to be chosen as captain. I’ve never thought about anything else,” he said. “I feel there’s an acknowledgement behind it.”

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It’s a role that requires him to focus on the team and brings the responsibility of solving a plethora of problems players remain oblivious to. But that, he said, is a privilege.

“Of course I’d love to play in a World Cup, but you have to be realistic,” Barón said. “I focus more on the day to day, and the processes. When I leave I’d like to be remembered as a good leader, who was able to put together good working groups, and that we achieved a great development process. Not just what I did, but to leave a mark for the future.”

Argentina debuted against Bermuda at St. George’s School in Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province, on December 6 at 10:30 a.m. All matches can be watched live through the ICC’s live online broadcast.