Friends like family: How newcomers are building lasting friendships through cricket

Praveen Chezhian, an IT professional who moved to Calgary from India in 2022, was excited to start a new life with his family. 

Despite the huge change, Chezhian and his family weren't overwhelmed thanks to support from other residents in their apartment complex in southwest Calgary.

Some of the residents were Chezhian's colleagues and were happy to show him the ropes as he got accustomed to a new life.

"When new people came in, the old timers very warmly welcomed all the newcomers," Chezhian said.

"From being office colleagues, you know, we became neighbours and then we are now friends like families."

One of the primary challenges for Chezhian was to overcome a mundane lifestyle and find ways to keep himself engaged after work, a sentiment that was shared by some of his peers.

The group started a cricket club, scheduling regular games at a school that agreed to let the cricket enthusiasts use its outdoor space.

"Cricket is close to our hearts, especially Indians, [we] enjoy every bit of it," Chezhian said.

"All of us tended to unite for two to three hours every evening. While we played briskly, our partners took leisure walk[s] around the ground, and our kids enjoyed the play arena."

While the group only had around 10 members in the beginning, it quickly grew popular among other residents and now has 40 players.

There's no pressure to be a star player — individuals from different age groups are welcome to join and test their skills.

A lack of experience isn't a problem either, according to Chezhian who said that the team is happy to help new members pick up the sport.

Bonding through cricket

Like Chezhian, Leela Krishna grew up watching cricket and learned to play the sport as a child, surrounded by scores of cricket enthusiasts who taught him the basics of the game.

The IT professional now looks forward to unwinding after work every evening for a couple of hours, working up a sweat, and catching up with friends.

Krishna moved to Calgary last year and didn't get a chance to interact with other members of the local community all winter.

Things started looking up during the summer as he started talking to Chezhian and his peers, excitedly planning cricket sessions, and bonding with other newcomers.

"We are meeting [new] people here and we are enjoying [ourselves]," Krishna said, adding that the sport is a stress buster and helps spread positivity after a tough day at work.

According to Krishna, the game has served as a powerful icebreaker and helped many newcomers form solid friendships. 

Families like Krishna's often get together with other members of the group to celebrate festivals and mark important milestones. 

The group's members are also encouraging their kids to explore the game, hoping to give them a glimpse into their childhood memories.

"In our childhood, even we used to go out like this and we used to play," Krishna said before adding that the kids in the group have started bonding with each other.

The group is planning to continue playing until October and will look into indoor options for the winter.

Massive growth

The city has witnessed massive growth as far as cricket is concerned, according to Coun. Raj Dhaliwal.

"I remember 25 years ago when I came here, there was very less cricket that was played," he said. "[There were barely] three to four clubs and now it has mushroomed to multiple clubs."

Dhaliwal added that more exposure has contributed to the popularity of the sport coupled with immigration from cricket-loving nations, such as India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

There's a third reason, according to the councillor, who reckons that many parents want their kids to "stay connected to their roots" and learn the joys of playing cricket.

Chezhian and his friends don't plan on slowing down any time soon and hope to keep enthusiasm for the sport alive through their group.

"Cricket is an emotion for Indians because it's been close to our heart since our childhood," Chezhian said.

"It's really special to have that continuity here in Canada as well."