Pakistan and Friends Hawke's Bay Association (PFHBA) is hosting the first Hawke's Bay-based Ethnic Communities Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament, in Napier on October 30 at Marewa Park. The purpose of participating in physical sports is to promote a sense of community and interpersonal engagement, says PFHBA member Syed Khurram Iqbal.
"Minor communities in Hawke's Bay have an exceptional potential to interact with other communities and enhance people's lives. In addition, it is a sport that spans decades and can go beyond social divides in ways that few other sports can."
Tennis ball cricket is a fast-paced, short-duration cricket variant in which plastic tape layers are applied to a tennis ball to increase speed and momentum. This kind of cricket is indigenous to Pakistan and is a popular activity throughout the country, and is gaining traction in the cricketing globe. Trophies for winner, runner-up, best bowler, best batsman, best all-rounder and best wicketkeeper are up for grabs.
The one-day match will run from 8am to 6pm and will include up to eight teams from Hawke's Bay's ethnic communities. The teams will be divided into two groups of four through draws; firstly, a round-robin will be played (three games minimum), with the top two teams from each pool competing in the final. All games will be five overs for each innings. Players from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have already registered. Registration for other teams will be available until October 15.
"Through this cricket event, we can improve Hawke's Bay communities' physical and mental health by making cricket a sport for all New Zealanders, regardless of sociodemographic factors, and by making everyone feel welcome," Syed says.
