The overcast sky is always a concern to a cricketer. From slower outfields to ruined pitches, countless matches have had unexpected outcomes because of an rainy interruption.

“The weather on day one was really bad, and we thought we would postpone the matches,” said Don Wijesekara, a member of International Student Union. “But we were able to start by noon and had to postpone just two matches to the next day.”

The International Student Union (ISU) organized the annual 6-a-side cricket tournament. Unlike the One-Day-International format of the game, each inning only lasted for five overs, as opposed to the 50 over innings in the ODIs. The group matches and some of the quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches were held this past weekend.

Given that cricket is not played often in the U.S., ISU hoped to introduce the game to people who were unfamiliar with it. Onlookers who experienced the game for the first hand seemed intrigued and entertained.

“I have never watched it before. It’s enjoyable. I mean, once you get the rules of it, it becomes pretty fun,” Freddy Miranda said. “As a baseball player, I do see some similarities between the games.”

The tournament had a different impact on international students, who often feel deprived due to the lack of exposure that cricket has in the U.S.

“It’s really encouraging to share the game with the people here. They’ve done a good job organizing this event,” said Kranthi Kumar Pingili, a Ph.D. student from India.

On April 28, the Cornered Tigers representing Pakistan beat the Sri Lankan Lions in the finals to win the tournament. However, they lost to the WSU staff in the exhibition match.

The event was sponsored by T-Mobile and Asian Groceries.