Cricket will be part of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
Learning doesn’t always happen in the classroom, says Laiba Qureshi.
She’s a 16-year-old cricketer from Mississauga, Ontario.
Last month, she went on a nine-day trip to London, England, to experience the place where cricket was born, according to the International Cricket Council.
Laiba knows the sport isn’t popular in Canada compared to other sports, especially among girls.
That’s why she wants to help grow the game here at home, using everything she learned on her trip.
“People are excited about this game,” she said in an interview with CBC Kids News.
The goal of the trip
The experiential learning program is called Across the Pond, and it’s for students who play cricket in Ontario.
Since 2008, the Ontario Schools Cricket Association (OSCA) has organized 10 of these trips to England.
This was the first all-girls trip.
On Aug. 21, the group of 15 girls and their coaches arrived in London.
Laiba Qureshi visited the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, England, on Aug. 24. This stadium was built more than 200 years ago, according to the Marylebone Cricket Club. (Image submitted by Laiba Qureshi)
For Laiba, it was her first time travelling outside Canada and being away from her family.
“I stepped out of my comfort zone,” she said.
Along with playing cricket against some local teams, the group visited some of England’s most historic cricket grounds — such as Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
They also went sightseeing at iconic landmarks such as Big Ben and Kensington Palace.
But the trip was also about developing leadership skills.
“In my leadership class, sometimes the lessons go in one ear and out the other,” Laiba said.
But she appreciated being able to learn outside in the real world.
They met with local ministers, diplomats and even a few professional cricketers to learn more about leadership and being part of a team.
“These are things that you can’t teach in a textbook,” said Ranil Mendis, a director at the OSCA, which is a non-profit organization.
“Some things you have to learn through experience,” he said in an interview with CBC Kids News.
Whether it was the sightseeing, meeting new people or bonding with teammates, Laiba said it was an experience she will never forget.
The team from Ontario, seen on the right, poses for a photo on Aug. 23 with their opponents from the Long Ditton Cricket Club, seen on the left. (Image credit: Ontario Schools Cricket Association)
Growing the sport in Canada
In Ontario, it’s been difficult to set up cricket teams and leagues.
That’s because cricket isn’t one of the sports included in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations, which governs sports in Ontario’s schools.
That’s why the OSCA provides cricket learning programs for schools and teachers in Ontario.
The goal of the trip to England was to teach the girls leadership skills and empower them to grow the sport in their communities aftern they returned to Canada.
If you’re looking for a cricket program where you live, Mendis said to look around because there are cricket clubs in several parts of Canada.
But for Laiba, her goal is to lead a girl’s cricket program at her school that can continue after she graduates this year.
When she started, her high school didn’t have a girl’s cricket program.
But with help from coaches at the OSCA, they got one going.
Laiba wants to create the structure for a lasting cricket program that includes coaching, equipment and leagues to compete in.
“I want to keep that story that we’ve had going,” she said.
Laiba also wants to see more appropriate spaces to play the sport.
In England, she said there is good infrastructure for cricketers to compete in different leagues and play in different stadiums.
“Sometimes in the middle of a quiet neighborhood, there would be a cricket ground.”
Cricket’s growing popularity
Cricket’s popularity in Canada is growing right now, according to Mendis.
It’s even been added as a sport at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles for the first time in more than 100 years.
“It’s a huge game that is also a part of people’s cultures,” Laiba said.
She’s looking forward to seeing more girls’ cricket teams compete in Ontario and other parts of Canada.
Have more questions? Want to tell us how we’re doing? Use the “send us feedback” link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
