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Cricket in Argentina

by Danish "Dangerous" Khan

Cricket has entered South American domain. Recently the international cricket council awarded the Best Spirit of Cricket Initiative to the children of Buenos Aires slums. Buenos Aires slums are most dangerous place in entire Argentina, but the children’s Caacupe team brought some hope to the “misery villages” which is plagued by drugs and other crimes.
This cricketing initiative was taken up by the coach Daniel Juarez who is a former player from one of the most prestigious cricket club of Buenos Aires’s. Cricket was introduced in these slums of Buenos Aires in the year 2009, and now has 30 young players from age 8 to 15. Girls are also part of these 30 players. Cricket is the most important activity in the Caacupe community center, which is named after a very popular saint in entire Argentina.
Pope Francis also known as “Slum Pope” he is the instrumental in founding the slum’s community centre. The Rev. Pepe Di Paola, is also largely involved in Caacupe cricket. Di Paola who is also known for his work fighting the drug trade in Argentina’s slums, said “It has to do with sport being a living school, a channel of values,” he also added “Kids from the slum have had the chance to play in big games … some of them have even gotten to travel by airplane to other places”. Example he gave was of fourteen year old Alexis Gaona who travelled to Peru to play for Argentina under13 team.
Cricket wishes these spirited young players from Slums of Buenos Aires a very best of luck for their future.

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