BEIJING: Cricket fever in China is going high ahead of upcoming Asian Games set to take place in Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8.
A “Friendship Cup” was organized by Chinese company Guangdong YaJiaSiTechnology (YJS) and Beijing Cricket Club (BCC) at the Cricket field of Dulwich College Beijing, Gwadar Pro reported on Friday.
The aim of the event is to share the passion for sports, enhance friendship between the people of participating countries as well as to promote the game of cricket in China.
The tournament was well attended by the diplomatic staff and teams from different embassies, schools, and universities, particularly players from China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Nepal which gave an opportunity to display the cricketing talents.
Cricket is one of the most exciting sports in the world and is now slowly but surely getting a place in sports in China.
The upcoming Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou is one of the best examples where Pakistan men’s and women’s Cricket teams will be participating in.
Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque also congratulated China for hosting the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou and hoped that this would promote not only sports competitions but also people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges.
Bilal Ahmed, a Cricket Player from Pakistan, told Gwadar Pro that Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Tianjin, and Jinan are the hub of cricket in China.
More than 150 schools and universities have been involved in the game of cricket. Back-to-back cricket tournaments by different Chinese companies and organizations in different cities and especially the holding of a grand sporting event comprising both men’s and women’s T-20 Cricket in Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou shows China’s keenness to spread the game of Cricket at its schools and universities level. –INP
