The first Chinese Cricket League opens in Hangzhou and the first national cricket team training center is unveiled

On October 16th, the inaugural China Cricket League kicked off with an opening ceremony in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The tournament features both men’s and women’s divisions, with the men’s competition having already started on October 10th, while the women’s matches commenced today.

During the opening ceremony, the China National Cricket Team Training Center was officially inaugurated. Additionally, Zhejiang University of Technology reached a collaboration agreement with the Hong Kong Cricket Association, which focuses on venue maintenance, team exchanges, and co-hosting various events.

The event is organized by the General Administration of Sport of China’s small ball sports management center, in collaboration with the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau, and hosted by Zhejiang University of Technology. The men’s division consists of four teams: Guizhou, Jilin, Hong Kong, and Zhejiang University of Technology, while the women’s division includes six teams from Guizhou, Jilin, Shanghai, Shenyang Sports University, Tianjin, and Hong Kong.

Hosted at the cricket venue at Zhejiang University of Technology’s Pingfeng campus — one of the facilities used during the Asian Games — the location has been prioritized by the university for post-Asian Games utilization. The university plans to continue supporting the national team’s training, launch the first cricket course among provincial universities, and form the first cricket team in the province, alongside organizing campus cricket competitions.

“We are also actively promoting cricket through public welfare projects, extending our outreach to middle and primary school students in Hangzhou, youth in mountainous and island areas of Zhejiang, and regions like Sichuan and Xinjiang, which receive assistance from Zhejiang. Additionally, we have established three off-campus cricket program teaching bases,” said Wu Juhui, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhejiang University of Technology. “In the future, we will continue to leverage our resources to contribute to the development of cricket in China.”

The opening ceremony featured the unveiling of the China National Cricket Team Training Center. Given cricket’s specific requirements for high-standard venues and match structures, Zhejiang University of Technology is optimizing the use of its facilities after the Asian Games. The establishment of this training center is expected to play a significant role in preparing the national team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while also serving as a model for the post-Asian Games venue utilization, enhancing cricket’s presence on campus and in the surrounding community.

Furthermore, the collaboration between Zhejiang University of Technology and the Hong Kong Cricket Association aims to enhance support for various cricket events in the future, with a formal agreement signed during the opening ceremony.