Windsor’s sole cricket league hoping to keep playing

Windsor’s only cricket league is finishing up its first season.

An indoor winter league, the Intramural Cricket League is open to anyone who has an interest in learning and playing the sport.

“It all began with everyone’s will to play cricket,” said Shahzeb Akram, founder of the league. “I was able to convince the St. Denis sports facility to start a cricket league during the winter season.”

Of the roughly 100 people who joined the league this year, about 20 were new to the sport. Akram was happy to help teach them throughout the season.

Akram grew up playing cricket in Dubai and when he came to Canada as an international student at the University of Windsor, he began renting basketball courts to play indoor cricket with other international students who were interested in the sport.

He assisted with one-day cricket tournaments at the University’s St. Denis Centre, but he wanted more.

“I communicated with University of Windsor and St. Denis on a daily basis and pushing them by explaining that cricket is more than a sport for many individuals who come to Canada and are living in Canada from all over the world,” said Akram.

Although originating in England in the 1800s and becoming their national sport, it has become popular around the globe, according to the International Cricket Council. 

 

Akram is happy with the success of the league’s first season and hopes to run it again next year from the same place. The cost is $300 per team and the season goes from middle to late January until the end of March.

“I really felt happy that I am able to give something to the community and individuals who love the sport, more importantly every other team got to know each other and became friends,” said Akram. “It is more of a get-together for many where they can have a relief of life every week.”

He has a goal for this summer — to teach high school students and anyone who comes to watch the game how to play.