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Wednesday, 26 March 2014 00:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The newest arrival in Sri Lanka’s most popular sport goes beyond what anyone would expect. Eager Sri Lankan Muslim clerics say that they want to play club level cricket one day. “Today’s matches are a one day event. But we like to play at club level someday,” said Muslim cleric M. Aneef of Rawla Warriors Cricket Club, Ratnapura.
Young Muslim cleric Aneef was speaking at Cooray Park Grounds, Colombo during the All-Island Ulema Inter Club Cricket Competition, the first of its kind, on 23 March in Colombo.
According to the organisers, the Etihad Challenge Trophy of the All-Island Ulema Inter Club Cricket Competition is focused on quenching the cricket thirst of the Muslim clergy in Sri Lanka. The tournament sees 168 Muslim clerics from more than 15 districts island-wide battling it out for the Etihad Challenge Trophy - with some teams arriving from such faraway places as Addalachenai, Ampara, and Batticaloa.
Each team consists of only seven players and will play four overs of cricket (thus, any match innings consists of only four overs) with counterpart teams to emerge finally as the Lankan Muslim clergy cricket champs.
Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen who was the Guest of Honour at the 23 March event, addressing more than 160 cricket-clerics attired in cricket gear said: “We all love cricket. Being a Muslim cleric is not only about reading religious texts but even taking part in life. 
I am happy that you have decided to enter this cricket series. Muslim life and cricket have a similar outlook. It’s a collective sport and it encourages people to be together. Muslim life too is a collective way of living.”
“We usually play cricket after our Arabic classes,” Moulavi M. Aneef of Rawla Warriors Cricket Club, Ratnapura. “Today’s matches are a one day event. But we like to play at club level someday,” Aneef said.
