Cricket Comes To SLS

On Saturday, May 4, St. Luke’s had the pleasure of hosting several cricket matches on campus. The event was organized by St. Luke’s student Nihaal Kochar ‘24, who has a passion for cricket and will continue playing with his college team at Haverford College next year. Along with being the first time Cricket was played at St. Luke’s, this event marked the first time a Cricket match between high school students and teachers was played in Connecticut, specifically at an independent school. The event had a great turnout and everyone in attendance learned a lot about cricket and left with a desire to spend more time watching and playing the sport. For his leadership in organizing this monumental event, Nihaal received a Senate Certificate from Senator Blumenthal.  

 

Nihaal was introduced to cricket by his father, who taught Nihaal parts of the game while they watched it together on television. This early exposure led Nihaal to the Mad Dogs Cricket Club in Greenwich where he was able to hone his skills and develop a passion for the game. Over time, Nihaal played for a few different clubs; he currently plays for the New Milford Greenwave. Nihaal has also participated on the national stage at the U15, U17, and U19 levels. When asked about his success with the sport, Nihaal gives all the credit to his coaches, who he claims have had an incredible impact on his skill development and character. 

 

According to Nihaal, cricket is “a sleeping giant in the United States.” The World Cup of Cricket will be hosted in the United States and West Indies, with some of the games taking place at the nearby cricket stadium in Nassau County, New York. If you want to learn more about cricket, browse the articles Nihaal wrote for our school newspaper, The Sentinel, in the links below!