When the Cricket World Cup comes close, there's much to observe and learn

By K.R. Nayar
From Dubai International Stadium 

Cricket has a magnetic effect on those who passionately love the game. The Cricket World Cup, too, has this magnetic effect, traveling to organizations and fans who love to celebrate the event. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup recently journeyed to the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and the Arcadia Global School in Dubai along with Shyam Bhatia, who has served the game for long in the UAE. This Dubai-based cricket enthusiast has rarely missed watching a World Cup since its inception.

The ICC T20 Women's World Cup trophy at the Arcadia Global School,  from left: UAE skipper Esha Oza, Shyam Bhatia and Rithika Rajith   

Although the UAE women’s team missed out on playing in this edition of the World Cup, Esha Oza, the skipper of the UAE team, and her colleague Rithika Rajith carried the World Cup trophy to Arcadia Global School. Hundreds of school children cheered for the World Cup in awe as they listened to Oza as she spoke about the game. Oza has made waves in international cricket with her impressive performances. Bhatia, who has inspired many not only through his speeches but also through acts like supporting underprivileged children around the world who cannot afford to play cricket, also addressed the children alongside the World Cup trophy.

UAE skipper Esha Oza carries the World Cup into the school along with her team-mate Rithika Rajith and Shyam Bhatia as the students cheer on 

It’s not just the Women’s World Cup that Bhatia has been associated with. In 2023, he was honored in front of 100,000 fans at the Ahmedabad Narendra Modi Stadium before the India-Pakistan match, during the Men’s World Cup.

Students cheering the World Cup 

There are many fans who have had the opportunity to pose with the World Cups, but it is rare to be able to pose next to both the Men’s and Women’s trophies. Although there is a certain aura and honor in being close to these World Cups, but what is even more interesting is when these individuals have deep knowledge about these trophies. Bhatia, whose cricket museum is filled with the history of world cricket, has always been a keen student of the game.

Shyam Bhatia with the ICC Men's World Cup at the Ahmedabad Narendra Modi stadium before the India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 match

I’ve often spent hours talking with him about the game, and I was once surprised by the detailed observations he made about all the World Cup trophies. He once said, “The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy stands 50 cm high, while the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy is one inch taller at 51 cm, and the tallest is the Men’s 50-over World Cup trophy, which is 60 cm high.”

The purpose of the World Cup traveling to schools is to inspire young children. Watching the World Cup is not enough; it would also be interesting to know how it was made. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy is crafted from silver. I was fortunate to see the trophy being lifted for the first time by England, the winners of the inaugural edition in 2009. Did you know that an exact replica is produced to be handed to the winner of every ICC Women’s T20 World Cup?

When I had the opportunity to  pose with  Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after wining the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy 

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy is made of silver and rhodium. In Barbados, I had the opportunity to get a closer look when Indian skipper Rohit Sharma invited all journalists who reported on India’s triumph to pose with the trophy. It has a youthful and edgy design and is quite heavy, weighing 7.5 kg.

The 50-over World Cup, which Bhatia has posed with, is made of silver and gold, and features a golden globe held up by three silver columns. These columns, shaped like stumps and bails, represent the three fundamental aspects of cricket – batting, bowling, and fielding, while the globe symbolizes the cricket ball. The trophy weighs approximately 11.0567 kilograms.

In the first match of the second day South Africa trounced West Indies by 10 wickets.
Brief scores: West Indies 118-6 in 20 overs (Stafanie Taylor 44 not out, Nonkululeko Mlaba 4-29) v South Africa 119-0 in 17.5 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 59 not out, Tazmin Brits 57 not out)

 

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