Queensland Cricket’s commitment to fostering diversity took another significant step forward last week with the conclusion of the second Multinational Challengers Trophy, a key initiative of their ongoing Multicultural Action Plan. The tournament saw Team Pakistan, backed by the Pakistan Australian Cultural Association, claim their second consecutive title in a thrilling final against newcomers Team Afghanistan.
The event, hosted by Cricket Ipswich, was a celebration of both sport and multiculturalism, underscoring the growing engagement between Queensland Cricket and South Asian communities. QLD Cricket CEO Terry Svenson was present to officiate the coin toss, with Shayne Newman, Federal Member for Blair, also in attendance to show his support.
Afghanistan, participating in their first tournament, batted first and posted an impressive 136 after 20 overs, thanks to standout performances from opener Samim Ehsan (31), Tameem Ahmad (23* not out), and a late surge from Nasrat Hashimi (24). The Pakistani bowlers, led by Zaki Abro’s outstanding 3/16, managed to keep the Afghan batting line-up in check despite the strong start.
Pakistan’s chase saw contributions from middle-order batsmen Hassan Nawaz (40) and Bilal Shah (24), setting up a nail-biting finish. Despite a late flurry of wickets, Zaki Abro, batting 10* not out, calmly guided Pakistan to victory, hitting a boundary for four with three balls to spare.
Queensland Cricket’s Project Officer – Multicultural, Dr Ashutosh Misra spoke passionately about the continued growth of the tournament.
“This year saw the addition of Team Afghanistan, but also a World XI which included people from Mexico, Spain and the Philippines, giving an even wider spread of multiculturalism.” He said.
The thrilling final was the culmination of not only a tournament but also a broader multicultural effort that is reshaping cricket across the state. Earlier in the week, Queensland Cricket signed historic Memorandums of Understanding (MoU’s) with key multicultural community groups, including the Pakistan Australian Cultural Association, Afghan Warriors Cricket Club, QLD Nepalese Cricket Association, the Bangladesh Association in Brisbane, Brisbane Maratha Warriors Cricket Club and the Queensland Kannadigas Cultural & Sports Society Inc. These agreements formalise partnerships that have been steadily growing over the past two seasons.
Elements within the MoU’s include embedding the Woolworths Cricket Blast program into community group offerings, transitioning grassroots competitions to utilise the PlayHQ competition management system, and providing accreditation training for coaches and umpires. These initiatives aim to further integrate multicultural communities into the Queensland Cricket ecosystem.
John Butterworth, Queensland Cricket’s Head of Operations, Growth and Engagement described how the MoU’s align with the organisation’s traditional club support system.
He said, “The service outlined in the MoU’s are reflective of the work our game development staff carry out with traditional community clubs, so it made sense to both replicate and formalise these plans with our growing multicultural network.”
With registered South Asian participation in Queensland Cricket doubling last season, and this year is already showing a promising 14% growth, the Multinational Challengers Trophy, alongside these MoU’s, illustrates Queensland Cricket’s dedication to inclusion and the vital role that multicultural communities play in shaping the future of the sport.