FairBreak Invitational re-imagined cricket for the better – and it worked

New women’s T20 tournament finds its place after memorable debut in Dubai

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  Falcons' players pose for a selfie after the FairBreak Invitational women’s T20 final against the Tornadoes at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, May 15, 2022. AFP

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  Tornadoes' players pose with the trophy after their win in the FairBreak Invitational final against Falcons at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. AFP

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  Tornadoes' Chanida Sutthiruang (C) delivers a ball to Falcons' Danni Wyatt (R) during the FairBreak Invitational 2022 women’s final Twenty20 cricket match between Falcons and Tornadoes at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on May 15, 2022. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP)

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  Falcons bowler Anju Gurung celebrates taking the wicket of Spirit opener Sarah Bryce. Photo: FairBreak Global

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  Spirit captain Nicola Carey is bowled by Falcons all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu. Photo: FairBreak Global

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  Laura Cardoso of Barmy Army congratulates Dani Wyatt of Falcons during their FairBreak Invitational match in Dubai. Getty

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  Henriette Ishimwe of Barmy Army reacts after dismissing Chamari Athapaththu of Falcons. Getty

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  Barmy Army's Kavisha Egodage bats against Spirit at the Dubai International Stadium. Chris Whiteoak / The National

It is highly likely the FairBreak Invitational will not come back to Dubai.

The new T20 tournament is a privately organised venture, run in conjunction with Cricket Hong Kong.

It only came to the UAE for its pilot edition this month because of the logistical challenges of the lengthy Covid quarantine process in that territory.

In his closing comments after Sunday’s final, Shaun Martyn, the tournament’s founder, said he is already looking forward to welcoming everyone to Hong Kong in March 2023.

Which is a pity. It has been a blast. But at least we can say we were there when cricket was re-imagined for the better.

In some ways, it was exactly like every other start-up tournament. Six teams with no discernible identity. Spurious names. Flashy kits.

A plain format – round-robin, then semis and a final. All played at a stadium which had seen it all before. After all, more T20 cricket has been played the Dubai International Stadium than any other cricket ground in the world.

And yet it was so, so much more. The pervading feeling among the FairBreak players could not have been anymore different to the atmosphere of the travelling circus of men’s T20 cricket.

All too often, the samey shows of the franchise circuit in the men’s game carry with them a strong air of entitlement. The usual players, turning up to perform on demand, and perhaps wondering: “Who is it we are playing for again today?”

Contrast that with FairBreak. For the majority of the tournament it felt as though at least two-thirds of the players involved were pinching themselves and thinking: Am I really here? Is this really happening to me?

Take the testimonies from two of the tournament’s great success stories. Sita Rana Magar, who played for the eventual winners - the Tornadoes - works in the Armed Police Force of Nepal when she is not bowling left-arm spin.

Her wicket celebrations gave the event some of its most vivid images. First, via the “Pushpa” hand gesture which went viral in cyberspace.

Then by way of a salute which brought to mind Sheldon Cottrell’s trademark celebration, but more likely was in reference to her day job.

“It’s been nothing less than a dream come true for me,” Magar said. “A great learning experience and a lifetime of memory playing for Team Tornadoes.”

Then there was Anju Gurung, a left-arm seamer from Bhutan for whom the tournament was memorable for two reasons which stick out more than most.

Firstly, her Falcons team made it to the final. And, secondly, she went to a beach for the first time.

“Me being part of the campaign, to be honest, has changed my life,” Gurung said.

“I can believe, I can dream, and now I have the strength to break the barriers. I am not anymore the same.”

Everywhere you looked, there were players who could echo those sentiments.

A Rwandan seamer who dismissed the world’s No 1 allrounder. Argentine pace bowlers. Brazilian all-rounders. Malaysian trailblazers.

And a Palestinian engineer who was so engaging she turned her hand to conducting the pitch report before one game, too.

All of which is all very lovely and everything. But it would not have stacked up had players from cricket’s nether reaches been no good at playing.

And if this tournament showed anything, it is that talent can blossom anywhere, given the chance.

With an even playing field, the best of the rest showed that they can play alongside the best of the best, and thrive.

FairBreak Invitational team of the tournament

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  FairBreak Invitational Team of the Tournament: 1) Chamari Athapaththu (Falcons): Started the tournament in the most belligerent fashion with a century on opening night, and scarcely let up thereafter. Photo: FairBreak Global

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  2) Sophie Devine (Tornadoes): Beats Danni Wyatt to the second opener spot in this team on the strength of the brutal half-century which won the final for her team. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  3) Deandra Dottin (Barmy Army): The “World Boss” formed an impressive opening partnership with UAE’s Kavisha Kumari throughout, and scored a ton in a losing cause in the bronze-medal match. Getty

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  4) Sophia Dunkley (Spirit): Hit the highest score of the tournament in the third-place playoff, was third in the run charts, and took six wickets with her leg-spin, too. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  5) Nicola Carey (Spirit): A late and bashful captaincy replacement for Bismah Maroof, but she led her side from the front. She had the best strike-rate of any batter in the tournament. Photo: FairBreak Global

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  6) Babette de Leede (Sapphires): The Dutch keeper showed up well enough with the bat, but was spectacular with the gloves – most notably when she affected five stumpings in an innings. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  7) Sophie Ecclestone (Spirit): The world’s No 1 bowler was burned by her England teammate Danni Wyatt in the semifinal, when she went at 11 per over. Until then, she had been all but unplayable. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  8) Chanida Sutthiruang (Tornadoes): Solid throughout, then superb in the final when she got the prize wickets of Wyatt and Athapaththu, and ran out Theertha Satish. AFP

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  9) Shizuka Miyaji (Spirit): The Japan spinner took four for 18 against the Falcons in the league stage, and took six wickets in the seven overs she sent down altogether. Photo: FairBreak Global

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  10) Winifred Duraisingham (Tornadoes): The Malaysia medium-pacer started the tournament in fine form, with two wickets against Sapphires then a player of the match display against Warriors. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  11) Henriette Ishimwe (Barmy Army): The Rwandan teenager provided one of the most salient images of the competition when she bowled Nicola Carey. She was thrifty throughout with her seamers. Getty