A 14 team cricket tournament takes place this weekend at Southland Park in Medicine Hat's south end this weekend. Bob Schneider/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill

Cricket tournament kicks off in Medicine Hat’s Southland Park

Jul 19, 2024 | 4:42 PM

An annual cricket tournament in Medicine Hat that has exploded in growth in the last nine years is taking place over the weekend.

Sheb E Punjab cricket club is hosting the three-day tournament at the cricket field in Southland Park.

Balginder Singh Bhinder, president of the host club, said the event has continued to evolve from the original two team event hosted about nine years ago.

“Fourteen teams are taking participation in this tournament, three from Lethbridge, three from Calgary, two from Edmonton and six local teams and we have so many local sponsors as well and they are helping us out during this and city is going to help us on that as well,” Bhinder said.

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Sheb E Punjab is the host of a cricket tournament in Medicine Hat running July 19-21 at Southland Park. Bob Schneider/CHAT News

The game has some similarities to baseball.

A bowler throws a tennis style ball towards a batsman with a cricket bat.

The batsman tries to hit the ball to produce runs, also protecting the wickets to not get out, also put out if the ball is caught, or if the wickets near the pitching mound get hit before they advance after hitting.

Muhammad Abassi is playing in the tournament, and hopes to see youth in the city come out this weekend to learn how to play.

“We have lots of coaches here around, lots of people around here to show and demonstrate the cricket skills that they have to put them in their young generations,” Abassi said.

“Hopefully we’ll have a cricket academy in the future to teach young stars from Medicine Hat to come forward and participate.”

Over 100 seats are being brought to the field for those looking to watch.

The cricket tournament starts Friday at 6 p.m., with games continue throughout the day on Saturday.

The semi-finals go first on Sunday. The championship game will follow starting at 5 p.m.