Gentlemen’s game

The Wright State University Indian Student Association hosted a two-day cricket tournament on the baseball field near Parking Lot 4.

Participation in the annual tournament has doubled since 2016. This year, over 80 wright state international students on eight different teams participated.

International student enrollment has increased over the past several years, said Michelle Streeter-Ferrari, director of the University Center for International Education. This semester 1,040 international students are enrolled at Wright State with the majority traveling from India and South Asia.

Streeter-Ferrari said having international students on campus is essential for Wright State’s academic programs and diversifying the student body.

“It’s also important for the cultural and cross-cultural experiences that all students are getting,” she said.

Each team in the tournament played a minimum of three games, with the top teams qualifying for a playoff. Team Anantha Vijaya emerged victorious this year.

Prem Sagar Reddy, a sophomore majoring in computer science, said every team has its own strategy to win.

“Just like football and soccer, cricket has its own strategies,” he said.

Vamshidhar Thummala, a Wright State alumnus who played in the tournament participant said he’s watched the campus participation increase and was excited to welcome new players.

“It’s a team game, it’s a tactical game, so it’s all mindset,” he said.

Thummala said cricket is often referred to as a gentlemen’s game because it’s comforting and not rough, which is why it’s one of the most popular sports in the world.