Lancashire Cricket Foundation’s Diwali Cup returns for third year

Lancashire Cricket Foundation’s (LCF) Diwali Cup is returning bigger and stronger for its third year, bringing people together for a colourful celebration of cricket and culture.

Taking place at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday 1st November, the event sees families and communities from across Lancashire and the North West celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, using cricket as an opportunity to bring people together at a special time of the year.

The Cup was first established in 2024, as a partnership between LCF and GIEO Gita UK (Global Inspiration Enlightenment Organisation of the Bhagwad Gita) – which funds the project alongside the ECB Cricket Cities Programme.

Eight teams took part in the inaugural year, growing to 14 teams in 2025. During last year’s event, families filled the Indoor Centre at Emirates Old Trafford to watch the tournament alongside entertainment including dance performances, dhol drummers, rangoli, traditional Hindu crafts, and South Asian food and drink.

The 2025 Cup also saw the Janaki Warriors become the first all-girls team to compete, who later went on to win a trophy. The team has since continued playing together, demonstrating the potential for the event to create opportunities to participate in cricket beyond the Cup itself.

This year, LCF is also seeking additional event partners to help ensure the Diwali Cup is sustainable for the longer term and creates a legacy from its growing success.

The 2026 Diwali Cup will take place at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday 1st November, with junior coaching taking place ahead of the main tournament, which will then run from 2pm to 8pm. It is an eight-a-side indoor tournament played using a tennis ball and is open to participants regardless of ethnicity or faith. Mixed and female-only teams can enter, and teams must include an under-18 and under-13 player. Spectators of any background or faith are welcome to join the celebration.

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Jen Barden, Managing Director at LCF, said: “The Diwali Cup started with a conversation about how we could use cricket to better connect with South Asian communities that perhaps hadn't previously had the opportunity to engage with us.

“Three years on, it’s developed into so much more, and is now a combined celebration of the sport, the people taking part and their faith. The cricket is competitive, but what makes the day so special is everything else around it. Each year has built on the last, and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more people through the doors so it can continue to grow.

“The response we get during each Diwali Cup shows just how much it means for people to see their culture and faith recognised within cricket and to feel that these facilities are open to them. We want to continue building on that, which is why we’re looking for other partners to work alongside us, GIEO Gita UK, and the ECB, who both fund the Cup each year.

“Collectively, we want to ensure the cup grows to reach more and more people each year, so that it becomes a staple of the Hindu calendar in Lancashire.”

Aneet Kapoor, of GIEO GITA UK, said: “The ambition of the Diwali Cup is to to bring people together through cricket while celebrating the spirit and values of the Festival of Light. To see it now returning for a third year, continuing to grow and welcoming teams from different communities across the region, is incredibly rewarding.

“This year, we hope to involve 16 teams, including a dedicated girls’ competition, alongside mixed under-11 coaching, children’s activities, food and a vibrant family atmosphere. Cricket is

central to the day, but so are community, inclusion and celebration. We want people of all ages and backgrounds to feel welcome.

“Our longer-term hope is for the Diwali Cup to continue growing, providing more opportunities for girls, young people and communities to participate in cricket while creating something distinctive that people look forward to every year.

“None of this would be possible without the support of Lancashire Cricket Foundation, our volunteers and the many teams and families who have embraced the event.”

Organisations interested in discussing partnership opportunities should contact Greg Pennington on gpennington@lancashirecricket.co.uk