Indian XI Prevail During Annual Ranji Trophy Cricket Match
Posted on: 15 August 2011
A strong Indian XI team beat off competition from their Irish opponents, the Leprechauns, at the annual Ranji Trophy Ireland cricket match held at Trinity College’s cricket grounds recently. The match saw the Indian XI team, made up of members of the Indian community in Ireland, finish 227 for 5 wickets to Ireland’s 177 all out. This is the third annual Ranji Trophy Ireland cricket match to take place at TCD. The event, which is named after Indian Prince Ranjitsinhji, Maharajah of Nawanager, the most famous cricket player of his generation and former resident of Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara, was established to promote Irish-Indian relations and engage with the Indian community resident in Ireland.
Irish writer Anne Chambers, author of Ranji: Maharajah of Connemara, was on hand to present the trophy to the Indian team and explained why she donated the trophy for the annual Ranji Trophy Ireland cricket match: “During my research for the book, I became aware of how instrumental Prince Ranjitsinhji was in fostering Irish-Indian relations during the nine years he lived in Ireland (1924-1933) and also his endeavours in promoting awareness of Ireland as a tourist destination. He was the first head of state to make an official visit to the newly founded Irish Free State in 1924 and subsequently became the owner of Ballynahinch Castle and estate in Connemara. The annual cricket match between the Irish and Indian XI is a fitting modern-day tribute to continue Ranji’s endeavours.”
L-R: Michael Marsh, Vice Provost, Trinity College Dublin; Virender Bhandari Convenor of the Indian team; Dutt Sameer, Indian Captain; Anne Chambers, author; Juergen Barkhoff, Chair of the Trinity South Asia Initiative.
The cricket match forms part of the Trinity South Asia Initiative’s programme of events which aim to renew and develop relationships with India and other countries in South Asia across a wide range of disciplines from arts and humanities to science, technology and medicine. Chairman of the South Asia Initiative, Professor Jüergen Barkhoff said: “I am delighted with the success of the Ranji Trophy Ireland in its promotion of both Trinity College and Ireland in India, and with the Indian community here in Ireland. It is the combination of these types of event and our academic ambitions in the University which will reap rewards for both countries. I look forward to our plans for next year’s match coming to fruition and also of course that the result for 2012 may be in Ireland’s favour!”
The Ranji Trophy Ireland cricket match in Trinity College, which is supported by the Trinity South Asia Initiative, the Indian Embassy to Ireland, Ballynahinch Castle and Jaipur Indian restaurant, is an annual event which aims to stimulate interest in Ireland’s links with India.