DISHA Cricket Challenge Trophy - THE FINAL

What follows is the text of an article I wrote for the Pune edition of a national daily newspaper, where I've recently been working as an intern. In the end they didn't run the story - space considerations rather than questions of style, I'm claiming - but as a great believer in recycling I thought I'd post it up here.

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At first glance, cricket and HIV/AIDS may seem an unlikely match. But DISHA, a Pune-based NGO, has found that cricket is the ideal way to engage local youth and spread awareness about the pandemic.

DISHA (Deep Griha’s Integrated Service for HIV/AIDS) works with people living with HIV/AIDS and the wider Tadiwala Road slum community to run prevention, treatment and control programmes.

When running awareness sessions, DISHA staff noticed that turnout amongst local youth was poor. But the number of street cricket matches taking place nearby suggested an idea. Deep Griha associate director Kiran Patole explains: “The game of cricket is a very good connector for the youth of Tadiwala Road to come together and learn about HIV/AIDS in an informal way.”

The result? The Inaugural DISHA Cricket Challenge Trophy. Beginning in late September, a series of group and knockout matches has determined the two finalists, New Azad and Ulhas Nagar. All participating teams were drawn from the local community, through mandal youth organisations. More than 150 players – aged 14 and up – have taken part in the competition, and many more youngsters have come along to watch the matches, learning about HIV/AIDS through brief talks between the innings.

Arriving at Tadiwala Road’s Railway Ground on the morning of the final, there’s already a sense of anticipation in the air. Although there might not be a blade of grass anywhere on the dusty playing surface, the pitch is chalked out, the stumps are in place and the stage set for a fine day of cricket.

The final is 20-overs-per-side. The teams line-up, all sporting the distinctive red AIDS ribbon. New Azad win the toss and decide to bat. They score consistently and profit from some coordination problems in the outfield, a series of dropped catches and plenty of byes. However, Ulhas Nagar keep picking up wickets and dismiss the batting side for 99 runs in 19 overs. Still, the 30 runs the conceded in extras could be crucial.

After a break for lunch, Ulhas Nagar come in to bat. A New Azad fielder takes a fabulous diving catch in the opening over and that sets the tone for the innings. Wickets fall regularly and the batsmen are under pressure. With the score on 76-9, a yorker from Azad paceman Aakash uproots middle stump and the match is over. A pitch invasion from the jubilant Azad fans is accompanied by the noise of crackers.

When order is restored, Patole conducts the trophy presentation to loud cheers all round. New Azad’s Kalyan Tugave named ‘Player of the Tournament’ after impressing consistently with the bat and in the field.

Patole is pleased with how things have gone. “The tournament has had a great impact,” he says. DISHA field supervisor Avinash Chakranaryan agrees. “Everyone has enjoyed the format. It has been a lot of fun and a new challenge for us to arrange the matches. The players have also got new information about HIV/AIDS.”

As the winning team pile on to a tempo rickshaw for an impromptu victory parade around the area, it’s clear that the event has been a success.