STOCKTON, Calif — There's a new cricket pitch at the University of the Pacific in Stockton.
UOP held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday. It included a cricket game, reception with traditional Indian food, Bollywood dance performances and several guest speakers.
Many Pacific students are excited about the new cricket pitch, especially students from India as cricket is huge in South Asia.
"It seems small, a cricket pitch, but it goes to the fabric of who we are as a university to really focus on our students and inclusion," said UOP president Christopher Callahan. "Almost 7% of our entire student population is from India. We are expecting more. We want those students to feel like Pacific is home for them."
Riya Jain is from India and says cricket is not just a game — it's an emotion. She's a member of the cricket club at Pacific. She says only two women, including herself, are part of the club and she wants more women to join the club and play the sport.
"I love playing cricket," Jain said. "I've been playing cricket since my childhood. In India, it's played on a huge scale over there and we have several stadiums over there just for cricket. Here, I want female participation. That way, we can at least make a team. Then, we can play. I've literally gotten marks on my body because I'm playing with the boys. It's a competitive sport."
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Students at Pacific started the cricket club in 2022. Dev Patel, the club president, says cricket is like a religion in India.
"It's my favorite sport," Patel said. "In India, there's Sachin Tendulkar. We refer to him as the 'God of Cricket.' If you're playing baseball, golf or tennis, it is similar to that."
Before getting the new cricket pitch, Pacific students simply made due without a proper field or oval.
"Students were so excited about playing cricket that they were making makeshift courts," Callahan said. "They were playing inside the gym."
Now, with the new cricket pitch, Pacific students, cricket club and community members can enjoy the sport meant to be played outside.
"I feel great," Jain said. "Finally, we have a field to play. Rather than playing indoors, we are actually able to play outdoors."
Cricket continues to grow in popularity. The Cricket World Cup will be held in the United States for the first time in June and the sport is returning to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
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