South Asian students who form Belarus' cricket community are taking their first steps towards consolidating roots for the game in the fomer Soviet republic with attempts to lure Belarussian youth.

Talks have taken place with the Belarussian State Polytechnic Academy sports club about requesting help to establish a team of Belarussian players, while the main instigator of cricket in Belarus, Kaushal Tiwani, has drawn up a constitution for a Belarussian Cricket Council.

Belarussian youngsters from unviersities and colleges were invited to watch the final of Belarus's most prestigeous tournament, the eighth Sintez-MM Trophy, featuring teams from five cities. Those Belarussians who attended were invited to form 'Team Belarus'.

The final, played on Belarus' Independence Day on July 3, was won by Vitbebsk XI scoring 156 from their allotted 25 overs before skittling Everst Nepal for 106. The Mayor of the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, was the chief guest at the closing ceremony.

A three match series between the 'Rest of Belarus' and Fazl-e-Umar Club, followed, won 2-1 by the combined XI.

The latter part of the season will focus on off-field development work amongst the Belarussians, whom it is hoped, will attend a coaching camp.

Kaushal said the main priority is to attract sponsorship from Belarussian firms, something Kaushal said is not easy.

"They don't know this sport and it's not so easy to describe cricket in Russian language, to a person who has absolutely zero knowledge of cricket." The students have been financing their cricket activities with remittance from their parents back home, a situation which cannot continue indefinitely.

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