Cricket field in the US named after Sunil Gavaskar

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar inaugurated a cricket field in Louisville in the state of Kentucky in the USA, making it the first international sporting facility named after an Indian sportsperson. The Sunil Gavaskar Field, inaugurated on October 15, will serve as the home ground for the Louisville Cricket Club, which is part of the 42-team MidWest Cricket League.

The club, along with Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, built a cricket pitch at the Hays Kennedy Park. This is not for the first time that Gavaskar was seen as India’s global ambassador for cricket. He already had a road named after him in Wellington, now he has an entire cricket field in his name.

Unique honour

“I am delighted and privileged at the honour,” Gavaskar said in a statement. “It’s a unique honour to have a cricket field named after me, especially in a country where cricket is not a premier sport,” he added.

The club also organized a dinner for Gavaskar, where Fischer presented him with a key to the city. Mayor Fischer said he expects the city’s $150,000 investment in the fields will reap great rewards. As per Metro Parks and Recreation director Seve Ghose, Louisville also aims to eventually become a destination for national and international cricket events in the future.

“We are an increasingly global community, and cricket is already part of our city’s sporting landscape,” Gavaskar said. “We hope the investment at Hays Kennedy Park will open the sport to more local participation, and the city to even more global opportunities,” he added, as reported by Times of India.

Jai Bokey, Louisville Cricket Club president, said, “Cricket is an important part of culture and community life in places like England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and throughout the West Indies. Having such a superb facility will help to bring people and business to Louisville from all over the cricket-playing world.”