NEW YORK(TIP) An Indian team, comprising members of the diaspora, has won an inaugural cricket cup after beating an Australian diaspora side in a match held here as part of India’s  75th Independence Day celebrations.

          The Consulates General of India and Australia in New York organized the inaugural International Liberty Cup in the Bronx here. The match was held under the 75th Independence Day commemoration – Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. Ahead of the match, Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal underscored the deep partnership between India and Australia.

          “To celebrate India’s 75 years of independence, we are celebrating it in a special manner through cricket which binds our two countries together. We want to enjoy cricket and we want to enjoy our friendship,” Jaiswal said.  Australia’s Consul-General in New York Nick Greiner described the match as a “highlight” of his tenure so far in New York. “It’s the first time that we’ve played a sporting activity so that’s always good for Australia. This is a small, symbolic way of celebrating the friendship between Australia and India, which is getting stronger and stronger. We’re now part of the Quad group and I think at every level the relationship is getting better,” Greiner said, making a reference to India, US, Japan and Australia grouping.

          The Liberty Cup tournament was held with the aim of bringing cricket-playing nations together and to bolster the sport’s popularity in the US. New York Thunderbolts Cricket Club represented team India on behalf of Consulate General of India in New York while team Australia was represented by the New York Kookaburras Cricket Club. Jake List captained the Australian team while Raj Mohabe was the captain of team India. Nonprofit organization 22 Yardsport, which promotes the game in the US, also organized the tournament. Jamaican legend Steve Buckner and Ramesh Lal were umpires for the match.

          Team Australia won the toss and decided to bat first, putting up a total of 146 in 20 overs with loss of six wickets. Australian player Jake Preddey scored 63 runs in 51 balls, while team India’s Gajanand Singh bowled an excellent spell and bagged 3 wickets in 3 overs. Team India chased the target of 147 runs in 16 overs, with Santy Santosh blasting 81 in just 48 balls, hitting 6 sixes and 3 boundaries. Preddey was declared best batsman, Singh adjudged the best bowler and Man of the Match trophy went to Santosh.Deputy Consul General of India in New York Varun Jeph presented the trophy to the winning team. “When we talk about an inaugural match, it is always special but when it happens to be the 75th year of India’s independence – Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – and 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Australia, that becomes even more special.         “As part of the celebrations, we are celebrating our sports, our sports achievements and what better way than to play cricket, which is such a great unifier for everybody, cutting across countries, continents, races and religions,” he said adding that cricket is a religion in itself in so many nations where the sport is played. Jeph recalled that growing up, he had a poster of Australian cricketing great Shane Warne in his room and an Australian diplomat in Malaysia had told him that he had a poster of Indian cricketing legend Kapil Dev in his room.

Mohabe said in 2023, the tournament aims to include Consulates of other cricket-playing nations as well with an aim to further popularize the sport in the country, particularly among the younger generations. List said his team put together a “pretty competitive total” and “good effort” given that they “are not training four times a week.” He lauded Santosh for “blasting us” off the ground and India team for a “great performance.”

          Jaipur Foot USA Chairman Prem Bhandari described the inaugural match as “cricket diplomacy” and said it is a great initiative to bolster the popularity of the game in the US and among the American audiences. He said he will undertake efforts to further promote the cricket tournament in coming years to ensure that more diaspora teams from cricket playing nations participate in the tournament going forward. In December last year, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul had signed a legislation that recognized the sport of cricket as an important part of the social and cultural fabric of New York State and expanded the State’s capacity to officially promote the sport. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Kevin Thomas, the first Indian-American to serve in the New York State Legislature, and Assembly member Nily Rozic.

(Source: PTI)