One of the craziest instances in all sports can be seen in one game that spanned 14 days. That sport is cricket, and while that was the longest match ever, most matches are much shorter.
The sport of cricket is best compared to baseball, with one team that bats and another team that fields. The goal is to score as many runs as possible for the team batting while running between the wickets, which are similar to bases in baseball, but cricket only has two, to baseball’s four.
The fielding team has the job of getting the runners out. This can be achieved by catching the ball or if the ball reaches the wickets.
The Iowa State Cricket Club has been around Ames for 25 years, beginning as a club in 2001. Today, the club still thrives and is home to many cricket enthusiasts.
The club has a roster of 90-100 cricket players, ranging from students to faculty and staff. The club practices at the Maple Willow Larch Fields from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.
The club also participates year-round, playing in indoor tournaments during the winter and outdoor tournaments in the summer. The summer season runs from April through October.
The cricket club at Iowa State has been successful as of late, especially in the 2024 season, capturing a championship for the Midwest region of the Heartland Cricket League.
“Chicago 2024 will always be special to me,” club president Danish Khan said. “We fought our way to the final, where we faced IUPUI [Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis], where we played exceptional cricket and rose to the occasion.”
This season has also been special for the club, qualifying for the ational tournament and hoping to achieve big goals in the tournament.
“The season has been competitive and exciting and we are looking forward to building on the success we have achieved over the past two years,” team captain Manikanta Puppala said.
The club began its 2026 season with a win by 58 runs, 180/7-122/10 and recently tied in a match Saturday, 107/10-107/10.
“We have great batsmen who understand situations well, along with skilled bowlers who can perform under pressure,” Puppala said. “Overall, we are an excellent young team, and our next goal is to win the Heartland Cricket League 2026 this summer.”
A talented team is one that is versatile in all positions. With the leadership instilling confidence in the versatility of this group and the past success of this team, the cricket club at Iowa State has strong potential to be very good later this summer.
Anyone who is curious or interested in learning more about the cricket club should contact the club president or the vice president. Their emails will be listed below. The club encourages anyone who is interested to join.
Danish Khan – [email protected]
Farabi Shihab – [email protected]
