For those who don’t know, cricket is a unique sport similar to baseball. It’s played with two teams that have eleven players each. The game is played on a cricket field, which is a long, rectangular field with a set of three wooden sticks, called wickets, on each end of the field. There is a pitcher who rolls the ball over to a batter. That batter is then supposed to hit the ball and try to score by knocking down the wickets. Cricket is known as a bat and ball game. Each phase is known as an inning and within the innings are plays known as runs. This is a sport that is widely played and well-known in India.

Junior Shebin Chacko, who is an active member of Indo-Pak Club, is well aware of the sport of cricket although he does not participate.

“In India, cricket is extremely popular, but since I was born and raised here I’ve never been accustomed to it. Since I was a child my parents and my family have been all about volleyball, basketball, and football. Due to my parents both coming to this country early in their life, it really influenced their views on sports and other issues in a massive way,” Chacko said. “It’s a large stereotype that I’ve played it before and that I enjoy it, but I’ve never actually played it before.”

Junior Divya Ghandi can relate to the stereotyping of the sport.

“My family loves it, and they watch it all the time. But I don’t really understand it. Since I grew up here I didn’t really grow up watching cricket. I grew up watching tennis and basketball. It’s a big stereotype, but it doesn’t really bother me,” Gandhi said.

Other students like senior Mustafa Ali enjoy watching the sport.

“I actually get into it with my family. We make it a big thing to watch our favorite team play. I don’t play the sport though; it’s not really big here in America. It’s more of a pastime. Some days I’ll watch the Bulls play basketball and the others I’ll be watching the India national cricket team play England.”

Not many people know how to play cricket, or really what it is since it isn’t wildly popular here in the United States. But many students keep the tradition going within their families and friends, keeping the spirit of the game alive.