Cricket Club heats up in prep for international tournament

Cricket is not a single person game, it’s a team sport where all 11 players put their effort together to achieve victory. Cricket is the second most watched sport in the whole world. In American culture it did not have that much recognition. Cricket has pretty much the same concept as Baseball. Instead of homerun in baseball or cricket, if you hit the ball out of bounds it gives you a score of six or four. First team gives a target to the other team and then the other team tries to chase that target in certain balls. The Minnesota State University, Mankato cricket Club was established back in 2008. Abdur Rehman, senior at the MSU, took over the club right after covid hit in the spring of 2020. Rehman joined the club as a vice president. Under his leadership and management many tournaments were hosted in the Minnesota State University Mankato.

“Although I am not raised in a country where cricket isn’t much popular but the blood my family, uncle and cousin everybody shares the passion of cricket come through blood,” Abdur Rehman, said.

The MSU cricket club hosts one tournament every semester. In their upcoming tournament  teams from other universities in North Dakota, South Dakota and the University of Minnesota will participate. The   international  tournament is scheduled on October 21 and 23^.  Hosted by  MSU the Cricket Club this will be the first outer states tournament after Covid-19.

Cricket teams have diversity from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. In this tournament there are going to be four teams, each team will consist of 11 players in which 9 players going to play rest three will be substituted. In these four teams Sri Lankans will have their own team which is team Lions, Pakistan team MSU Markhor, Bangladesh team Bengal tigers, Indians team India. Among all these teams there will be only 11 players selected for the MSU team which will play in the outer state tournaments.

MSU cricket club is a recognized student organization who not only play in varsity, but also on other platforms. They play against many other communities and other clubs in Minneapolis they call themselves The Viking. The Vikings are not affiliated with any university but still play against the MSU cricket team.“I know over here you won’t see many people and you won’t see many things about cricket but the enthusiasm for cricket is very important because over here if you like cricket it’s going to start from you. First thing I want new people to have enthusiasm to play and keep the game alive anybody who is interested to play they can join,” Rehman said.

Header Photo: Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Spring 2022 international tournament winner and runner up team the Bengal Tigers and Team Lions. (Courtesy Photo)

Write to Ayan Muhammad at Ayan.Muhammad@mnsu.edu