Annual AISECS Mateship Cup 2024: A roaring success

By Rajesh Sharma

The 2024 edition of the Annual AISECS Mateship Cup turned out to be a roaring success as people from all walks of life came together at Sydney’s Bressington Park, Australia to celebrate the ever-growing relationship and intertwining of cultures of two incredible nations – Australia and India, as well as enjoy an exciting cricket match played between Minister XI and High Commissioner XI. Echoing the sentiment of sport having the power to unite nations and transcend boundaries, the event was a true celebration of unity, diversity, friendship (Dosti), soft diplomacy through cultural exchange and bilateral cooperation, and the growing bond between the two nations.

Organised by AISECS (Australia India Sports Education and Cultural Society), the Annual Mateship Cup is the brainchild of AISECS founder and Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassador, Gurnam Singh. This unique initiative has continued to play a key role in promoting and strengthening bilateral ties between Australia and India across various sectors such as sports, education, and culture. AISECS serves as a key catalyst for cultural exchange, fostering dialogue, and developing opportunities to bring the two nations closer. The organisation is committed to promoting positive community engagement by connecting people, ideas and opportunities that facilitate the development of stronger bonds.

The event featured many notable personalities such as His Excellency High Commissioner of India to Australia Sh. Gopal Baglay, Consul General of India Sh. S Jankiraman, Hon’ble Minister Steve Kamper, Minister for Sport, Land & Property, Multiculturalism and Small Businesses, and a host of other prominent dignitaries, including Senator Dave Sharma, Shadow Treasurer for NSW Damien Tudehope, Member for Parramatta Dona Davis, and the CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations, Tim Thomas and representatives from NSW Police along with members of the public who came together to participate in a 15-overs game of cricket to embody the unity driven by cricket, the spirit of the game and portray the values of mateship and camaraderie.

The gentlemen’s game – cricket, has always been a favourite of the masses in Australia as well as India. Considered to be Australia’s favourite summer sport and whilst nothing short of a ‘cult’ or ‘religion’ in India, cricket is more than just a game – it is a cultural bridge that unites people from diverse backgrounds and fosters friendships (Dosti). Hence, the Annual AISECS Mateship Cup is the perfect example of leveraging the sport of cricket as a tool for soft diplomacy as it highlights how sport can be a powerful driving force for uniting nations as well as promoting the pillars of diplomacy – Samman (dignity), Samvaad (dialogue), Samriddhi (shared prosperity), and Sanskriti evam Sabhayata (cultural and civilizational links).

In the present day, nearly a million people with Indian ancestry call Australia their home, which makes the Indian community one of the largest as well as the fastest-growing diaspora in Australia which also adds to its multicultural cap. Furthermore, the Annual AISECS Mateship Cup also promotes bilateral relations between these nations by fostering dialogue, enhancing public opinion and advancing policy discussions on key areas, including sports diplomacy, people-to-people links, and diaspora engagement, paving the way for a deeper and more meaningful bilateral relationship in the years to come.

The significance of initiatives like the Annual AISECS Mateship Cup is further underlined by the recent adoption of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India. The agreement sets the stage for a new awakening of bilateral collaboration that offers greater opportunities for trade, investment, and economic growth. Moreover, transcending beyond the economics, the agreement is also about creating a holistic partnership that encompasses culture, education, and sports.

Commencing with a ‘Welcome to Country’ and the traditional smoke ceremony by the Buja Buja group to honor the Indigenous people who walked on the land where the event was organised, the Annual AISECS Mateship Cup 2024 was a day filled with joy, laughter and excitement.

Ahead of the toss, His Excellency High Commissioner of India to Australia Sh. Gopal Baglay and Hon’ble Minister Steve Kamper, Minister for Sport, Land & Property, Multiculturalism and Small Businesses revealed customised jerseys for both teams to wear for the match. Special guest and The Voice fame singer, Nethra Raman performed the national anthems for Australia and India to set the scene for the match.

Honorable Stephen Kamper, Minister for Sports, Multiculturalism, Land and Property and Small Business led the Minister XI side while the High Commissioner XI was captained by His Excellency Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner of India to Australia. Both sides featured a formidable squad that displayed remarkable batting, bowling and fielding skills while also being the flag-bearers for friendship, unity, diplomacy and respect for the nations. The teams were as follows:

Minister XI: Steve Kamper (C), Dave Sharma, Sameer Pandey, Donna Davis, Roy Maggio, Tim Thomas, Gurnam Singh, Gaurav Raina, Cal McGuirk, Sachin Saxena, Tanisha Reddy, Kuhu Nanda

High Commissioner XI: Gopal Baglay (C), Abhishek, Nandulal Bhookya, Yogendra Singh, Vivek Gaurav, Vipin Sharma, Alok Nandan, Kuljeet Singh, Abhineet Singh, Rajiv Shirodkar, Melissa Monteiro, Gurjas Kaur, Jagvinder Virk, Harsh Yadav

As High Commissioner Gopal Baglay and Minister Steve Kamper led their respective teams out in a friendly yet competitive match, it was evident that the event was about more than just victory on the field; it was about strengthening ties between two of the world’s most vibrant democracies.

Batting first, Minister XI put up a score of 137/5 in their 15-over inning and proved too strong with their batting, bowling and fielding displays as they restricted High Commissioner XI to a score of only 117/5 runs in 15-overs. While Minister XI secured a 20-run victory and won the cricket match on the field, the real winner was the spirit of unity, friendship (Dosti) and the vibrant cultural values of the two nations that permeated the event.

Promising youngster Kuhu Nanda, of Minister XI, was judged to be the Player of the Match as her bowling figures of 3-1-7-2 proved to be the difference in the two sides.

The event concluded with a presentation ceremony, where both teams were honoured for their participation as well as their commitment towards strengthening India-Australia relations.

On a remarkable win, Minister Kamper proudly complimented the players and recognizing the true winner in the sentiments of unity, friendship and bilateral cooperation, he said. “This is more than just a game. It’s a testament to the strong bond between India and Australia, a relationship that continues to grow and thrive through mutual respect and cooperation”.

Despite a narrow loss for his side on the field, His Excellency Bagley was in high spirits as he echoed the same positive sentiments of Minister Kamper bilateral cooperation, said, “This match is a celebration of our shared love for cricket, but also a celebration of the deep and enduring friendship between our two nations”.

High Commissioner Baglay and Minister Kamper both expressed their gratitude to AISECS for organizing such a key event for soft diplomacy and for their continued efforts in promoting cultural exchange and dialogue and strengthening the bilateral relationship of the two nations.

At the conclusion of yet another successful event, AISECS Founder and Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassador Gurnam Singh was beaming with joy and pride as he said, “At AISECS, we believe that sport is a powerful tool for building bridges between cultures. The Mateship Cup is more than just a cricket match—it’s a celebration of the friendship and cooperation between India and Australia. We are proud to play a role in promoting these important bilateral ties, and we look forward to continuing to work towards a brighter future for both nations.”

He further proudly announced that the Annual Mateship Cup was scaling new heights – by organising for the match to be played on a national level with the next edition being scheduled to take place in Queensland in February 2025 followed very soon by other states of Australia! Taking the ever-growing friendship between Australia and India to the next level and further strengthening the bilateral relationship.

While the dust is still settling over this match but the players on both sides are already eagerly looking forward to playing each other again in this friendly rivalry. . . with the High Commissioner XI seeking to turn the tables around and grabbing the win at the next one!

pc: Ayush