LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – Cricket is the world’s second favorite sport and in Southwest Louisiana it is growing and becoming more known in our communities.
The T20 Louisiana State Cricket Championship was hosted in Lake Charles for the first time.
After a great season, the Lake Charles Cricket Club played in the championship on The City of Lake Charles Cricket Field at Enos Derbonne Sports Complex.
The Lake Charles Cricket Club went undefeated in the Louisiana Cricket Association this season.
After games in the playoffs they were able to play against KPK Cricket Club in the finals hosted on the Lake Charles cricket field.
The club started in 2015 and has grown since then.
“It’s a great pleasure. A lot of work went from every community partners and everybody in the club contributed from day one and it’s exciting to see. This is the first time the facility has hosted something in such a grand way with all the officials and everybody is present,” said club founder Khaja Moinuddin.
Competing for a championship in a league that currently has nine teams from all over the state.
The City of Lake Charles partnered with the Lake Charles Cricket Club, the Calcasieu Police Jury, and Ward 3 Recreation provided the land for the field.
Mayor Nic Hunter played a big part in bringing a cricket field to Lake Charles. He says the cost of bringing the field with future updates is estimated to be up to around $100,000.
“This was a partnership. A true public private partnership. There was some private money that came to the table as well as the city and Ward 3 Recreation so we were just thrilled to be a part of it and to see the state championship hosted here in Lake Charles is really an honor,” said Hunter.
Nimesh Zaver was on the board of directors for Visit of Lake Charles at the time the field was completed.
“To bring the sport to Lake Charles Moinuddin had reached out to me and asked hey I’m interested in doing a cricket field and I was surprised like I was like okay that’d be awesome because we wanted to make sure we brought the sport here locally,” said Zaver.
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