Social Affairs

‘The goal is to create a lasting impact’: diaspora cricket competition brings community together

Indian regions face off in Inter Diaspora Premier League T10 competition at North Kildare Cricket Club

D. Murugaraj, first secretary of the Indian Embassy in Ireland, Bobby Rio, ex-Indian cricketer and former Ireland coach, Maruthi Nambi, founder of IDPL and Brian Horn, chairman North Kildare Cricket Club with members of the Indian diaspora. Photograph: IDPL
D. Murugaraj, first secretary of the Indian Embassy in Ireland, Bobby Rio, ex-Indian cricketer and former Ireland coach, Maruthi Nambi, founder of IDPL and Brian Horn, chairman North Kildare Cricket Club with members of the Indian diaspora. Photograph: IDPL
Saeedullah Safi
Fri Jul 26 2024 - 17:35

The Inter Diaspora Premier League is set to make its debut in Ireland on July 27th at North Kildare Cricket Club.

Organised by the Indian diaspora community, with support by Bank of Ireland and Zuci Activate Future, the event aims to bring together members of India’s cricket-loving diaspora through a unique T10 cricket tournament.

In T10 cricket, each match consists of 10 overs per side, a shortened format of the game lasting around 90 minutes and allowing multiple matches per day.

Teams representing various Indian diaspora communities from Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala, Assam, and Odisha will compete for the IDPL title.

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The team names are the same as those used in the famous Indian Premier League (IPL), which inspired the idea of organising cricket matches in Co Kildare for the Indian diaspora across Ireland.

The IPL is a global sporting success story, attracting more than 600 million viewers in India and millions more in other cricket-watching countries like England and Australia. Its T20 games pit the sport’s biggest Indian and international stars against each other for teams representing India’s biggest cities.

“We hope to make the IDPL league better like the IPL in India and other premier cricket leagues,” said Maruthi Nambi, the diaspora competition’s founder.

The event will feature a family-friendly environment with food stalls offering Indian cuisine, a bouncy castle for kids, and cultural performances showcasing traditional dance and music

“The goal is to create a lasting impact by fostering community spirit, enhancing cultural understanding, and providing a platform for social interaction. The event aims to bring together all the big cricketing diaspora in Ireland through cricket, promoting cultural exchange and community spirit,” said Mr Nambi.

The IDPL has grown from a mere idea to a major event in a short period of time, Mr Nambi said.

“When we started, it was an idea, but it has grown into a big force of attraction for all cricket-loving communities, players, spectators, and sponsors.”

The teams represent Indian regions, which are bound by different languages and culture. However, other cricket-playing communities in Ireland are involved, and the participants hope to grow the love of the game in Ireland.

“We also have players from different diaspora communities, including South African, Indian, Pakistani, and others based in Ireland,” said Santosh Pallae, chairperson of the Indo-Irish Telugu Welfare Association.

“We always campaign to bring Irish people and other communities to play cricket. I always try to tell them that cricket is a good game and invite them to play.”

The event will take place at the North Kildare Cricket Club in Kilcock, Co Kildare, on Saturday July 27th. Matches will commence at 9am, with the award ceremony scheduled for 7pm.