Queensland is set to host the second national SQUAD Bangladesh Cricket tournament, following a successful debut in Adelaide in 2022, where the Queensland team emerged victorious in the Plate final. This biennial event is one of the many legacy projects born from the 2022 T20 World Cup, designed to foster community engagement and promote cricket among diverse cultural groups.
The 2024 tournament will take place over three days at the Ivor Marsden Complex in Ipswich, bringing together teams from all states. This venue will become the epicentre of vibrant cricket action and cultural celebration, showcasing the best of what each state has to offer in terms of cricketing talent.
The event is spearheaded by the Bangladesh Association in Brisbane, with the support from Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia. This collaboration highlights the strong community ties and shared vision for promoting cricket within the multicultural landscape of Australia.
Michael Hennessy, Cricket Australia’s SQUADS Fan Engagement Manager spoke passionately about the huge inroads Cricket has taken since the T20 World Cup in 2022, stating,
“The SQUAD Bangladesh National Champs is a fantastic example of Cricket Australia's Multicultural Action Plan at work with more opportunities for multicultural community members to engage with cricket,”
He continued, “We have Bangladeshi coaches, umpires and the best Bangladeshi cricketers in Australia all here together sharing their knowledge and connecting the community across Australia.”
In conjunction with the tournament, a three-day Woolworths Cricket Blast clinic has been organised to run alongside the matches and has been funded through the Woolworths Cricket Fund.
Queensland Cricket’s Multicultural Project Officer, Dr Ashutosh Misra, provided great insights to the organisation’s grassroots activity highlighting,
He said, “One key part of our Queensland Cricket’s multicultural action plan is to not only assist our community groups with their tournaments, but to support them with delivering Woolworths Cricket Blast programs to ensure the next generation of their community can engage with cricket, and hopefully clubs.”
“This particular tournament could have come together without the key leaders of the Bangladesh Association in Brisbane, Jishu das Gupta, Happy Rahman and Masum Islam, so we wanted to both thank and celebrate their efforts.” he added.
The SQUAD Bangladesh Queensland teams will feature several players who participated in last year’s Multination Challengers Trophy. Additionally, three players from the QLD Multicultural XI side, which competed against the Queensland Indigenous men’s team in the Harmony Cup, will also be part of the two QLD squads. This diverse lineup underscores the inclusive nature of the tournament and highlights the talent emerging from Queensland’s multicultural pathways, a cornerstone of Queensland Cricket’s Multicultural Action Plan.
Anticipation is building for what promises to be a thrilling display of cricket and a testament to the power of sport in uniting communities. The SQUAD Bangladesh Cricket tournament not only provides a platform for showcasing exceptional talent but also reinforces the commitment to celebrating diversity and fostering inclusion through the beloved game of cricket.