'2 days of joy': Tournament celebrates growing popularity of cricket in Yukon

An acrobatic throw precedes an echoing connection with a flat wooden paddle. Cheers erupt from onlookers as a ball sails through the air, chased by players in full uniform.

That was the scene this past weekend on a Whitehorse football field, where dozens of players competed in a cricket tournament.  

The sport has been played in the Yukon since at least the early 1900s. After a long hiatus, it returned to the Yukon around 2015. 

It's now the second year that there has been a formal tournament held by an official organization: the Yukon Cricket Association. 

In just a year, attendance at the event has more than doubled. More than a hundred people showed up to the Christ the King Elementary School field to watch or play in the event on Saturday and Sunday. 

Aashique Shaikh was the main organizer. It was far from his first time — before moving to the Yukon, he helped organize tournaments for the Indian Premier League, as well as his own league in Dubai. 

One day in Whitehorse, he learned from a co-worker about a small group that was getting together to play cricket. He asked if they would be interested in taking things to the next level. 

Shaikh says organizing the weekend tournament took months of work outside his full-time job, and involved many challenges.

"We have very limited resources in the North, in terms of sporting goods," he said. 

He says he deeply appreciated support from sponsors and volunteers, as keeping the budget and the entrance fee for players low was a high priority given the target audience. 

"Most of the people playing here are working class people," said Shaikh. "They're immigrants and they're very busy working most of the time."

But Shaikh did not cut corners — he worked hard to make the tournament a professional-level event. Cricket bats, balls and other equipment as well as uniforms were shipped direct from India. He acquired medals for all players and gold-plated trophies to hand out to first place and runner-up teams. 

"I wanted to give them two days of joy," he said. "I want to see the boys happy." 

Raman Kumar was team captain of the Whitehorse Strikers and led his team to victory on Sunday. He played cricket in India for years before moving to the Yukon.