Cricket tourney ends in high-scoring affair

The IU Cricket Club concluded its in-house tournament with the championship match Sunday in Ora L. Wildermuth Center, with Club Cricket Team A edging out Club Cricket Team B, 58-51.

Anju Kambadur led all batsman with 43 runs scored and was named Man of the Match and Best Batsman of the tournament. “I didn’t try to take risks off the good bowlers,” Kambadur said. “When the other bowlers come in, you can take more risks. You start seeing the ball get bigger and bigger.” 

Kambudar attributes his skill in cricket to playing tennis for most of his life. He said he is not a longtime cricket player like many club members.

“The arena is very conducive to tennis shots,” Kambudar said in reference to the confined space. “Straight is where you can score the most runs, and it’s like in tennis where I’m used to hitting straight.

“There are people that actually play cricket and are better batsman. In here, it’s like an improvisation on cricket.”

Club President Prolay Mondal, the Team B bowler, scored a team-high 32 runs for Club Team B, who fell into trouble late in the match. 

“Prolay got run out of the second to last over, and that was kind of the tipping point in the match,” said Ali Arrf, a member of Club Team A. “He needed 15 runs in the last two overs.”

Mondal said he felt that overall the tournament was a positive experience.

The club partnered with the Association for India’s Development in Bloomington — a non-profit organization working on social projects and activism in India and abroad — to help organize the tournament. Mondal said he hopes the partnership will help the club compete in upcoming outdoor tournaments and increase membership this spring.