Hundreds of schoolchildren discovered the excitement of cricket while a packed weekend of fast-paced competition delivered big scores, sixes and standout individual performances across Cyprus.

Cyprus Cricket celebrated the European Week of Sport in style, combining its grassroots ICC Criiio programme with an action-packed weekend of competitive cricket that showcased the growing popularity of the sport across the island.

Throughout the week, hundreds of primary school children took part in ICC Criiio activities, getting their first taste of cricket through fun and engaging sessions focused on hitting, catching, throwing and running between the wickets.

The initiative forms part of Cyprus Cricket’s Schools Programme, which has introduced cricket to thousands of primary school children over the past few years. The programme’s impact was recognised this year when it was named the best cricket development initiative in Europe, underlining Cyprus Cricket’s success in developing the game at grassroots level.

The action continued on Sunday at Happy Valley Cricket Ground, where 11 teams battled it out in a high-octane ICC Criiio six-a-side tournament.

The short-format competition produced plenty of entertainment, with matches lasting around 30 minutes and teams averaging approximately 120 runs per game. The fast-paced format proved a major hit, with boundaries coming thick and fast before Mangala Gunasekara’s MSN A emerged as tournament winners.

The action continued in the 40-over competition, sponsored by Hurry Curry, with Gujarat Lions and MSN Sport Club both recording victories.

Rana Irfan led the way for Gujrat Lions with an impressive half-century as his side posted 171 runs. Limassol Telugu fought hard in reply but eventually finished 74 runs short.

Their chase received a strong start from Santosh Manda (21) and Kalyan Barma (37), who put together a gritty 65-run opening partnership before Gujrat Lions’ bowling attack took control.

There was no stopping Mangala Gunasekara in the other 40-over clash. The MSN Sport Club all-rounder produced a match-winning performance, first claiming four wickets before turning on the power with the bat. His explosive 70-run innings, featuring eight sixes, propelled MSN Sport Club to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lankan Lions Limassol.

Chasing just 101 for victory, MSN Sport Club needed only 16.3 overs to reach their target, with Mangala’s brutal hitting bringing the contest to a swift conclusion.

The T10 clash between Cyprus Knight Riders and Moufflons was another entertaining contest, with the Knight Riders securing a 23-run victory over a revamped Moufflons side.

Touhid Hasan was the standout performer with the bat, contributing a valuable 35 runs as Cyprus Knight Riders set up a winning performance in the shortest format.

From introducing hundreds of children to cricket in schools to delivering high-scoring, six-hitting action on the field, Cyprus Cricket’s European Week of Sport celebrations provided a snapshot of the sport’s growing reach and continued development across the island.