Cambridge University Cricket Club (CUCC) has begun its 2026 tour in Mumbai, marking the club’s first visit to India in approximately 15 years and continuing a long-standing cricketing relationship between Cambridge and India dating back to the late 19th century.
The tour forms part of a broader programme of engagement between the University of Cambridge and India, following the announcement earlier this year of new initiatives to strengthen academic, research and cultural ties between the two.
CUCC travelled to Mumbai on 28 March and will play a series of fixtures against local sides and institutions, including the Cricket Club of India, Bombay Gymkhana, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and the Dilip Vengsarkar Cricket Academy.
The opening match of the tour, a 45-over fixture against MCA Under-23s, took place at Parsee Gymkhana.
Match result
MCA U23s win by three wickets
Match summary
CUCC Men’s Captain Stan Norman writes:
Thrown straight into conditions unlike anything back home, the Men’s Blues squad faced 30-degree heat and a demanding outfield on their first day of competitive cricket. Having lost the toss and been asked to bat, the Blues posted 179 all out, with Johnny Kershaw the standout performer: his 67 off 51 balls, including five towering sixes, showed a fine ability to read and attack the local spinners. The total proved a fighting one in difficult conditions.
MCA began their chase at a rapid pace, but the Cambridge spinners grew into the game, with Simpson, Mahesh and Rajkumar taking regular wickets to drag the contest back. Excellent fielding across a tricky outfield kept the pressure on, though MCA ultimately sealed victory by three wickets. There were plenty of positives to take, not least a much clearer understanding of subcontinental conditions ahead of the remaining fixtures. The evening brought a fittingly memorable close to the day, with the squad attending a drinks reception hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, Harjinder Kang.
The tour itinerary includes a mix of T20, 40-over and 50-over matches across venues in Mumbai, alongside training sessions and engagement activities. Fixtures include games at the Cricket Club of India and at MIG Bandra and Bombay Gymkhana.
Off the field, the squad will visit the International Institute of Sports & Management for an orientation session and also attend an Indian Premier League match at Wankhede Stadium.
The tour is supported by CUCC sponsor JMAN Group and organised in India by Cutting Edge.
Cambridge University Cricket Club, founded in 1820, is the University’s oldest Blues sport and has been based at Fenner’s Cricket Ground since 1848. The club has produced 62 Test players and 21 Test captains and today comprises more than 1,000 members across men’s and women’s squads.
The India tour precedes the annual Varsity Matches against Oxford University Cricket Club, which will take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London in May.
This tour also builds on the University’s renewed engagement with India, following the announcement in January of a series of initiatives to strengthen academic and cultural partnerships, including the launch of the Cambridge-India Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) with a focus on innovation, research and learning.
The Cambridge-India CAS establishes a bridge between the University of Cambridge, globally renowned as a leader in science and technology, and India’s rapidly evolving knowledge economy. The Centre, operating as a hub for the University’s presence in India, will serve as a catalyst for intellectual exchange, policy influence, and societal impact.
In addition, the University will broaden undergraduate entry pathways for top students educated in India. The Indian CBSE Class XII qualification will now be accepted by the University for some undergraduate courses, alongside additional requirements where appropriate. The University is also exploring new philanthropic opportunities for the funding of scholarships for India’s most talented students.
Cambridge has also established a Section 8 company in India, the Cambridge India Research Foundation, which enables members of the public, Cambridge alumni, and friends of the University in India to provide funds for bursaries, fees and other expenses incurred by Indian students studying in Cambridge, as well as supporting research partnerships. See the Foundation’s web pages for further information.
Speaking at the time, Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice said: “I am delighted to build on the strong and deep links between Cambridge University and India. The Cambridge-India CAS is an exciting opportunity to form collaborations with the best researchers and innovators in India and strengthen ties with such a rapidly growing knowledge economy. And our best cricketers are looking forward to testing their skills against their Indian counterparts.”
The new Cambridge-India CAS Centre will provide a hub for the University’s activities in India, and will feature three integrated elements which align strongly with the UK Government’s recently announced International Education Strategy:
- Centre for Advanced Research and Synthesis: a research institute, hosting programmes co-convened by Cambridge and Indian research leads
- Knowledge-Policy-Innovation Hub: addressing issues of knowledge transfer and impact by creating an incubation space for academics, innovators, entrepreneurs and decision makers
- The Learning Hub: providing learning opportunities, scholarships and mobility programmes for students and staff
Cambridge-India CAS will act as an ‘umbrella’ for a range of programmes, building on the many bilateral partnerships between the University and India over recent decades. Working with partners, the Centre will act as a framework for a portfolio of activity across the whole of India without the limits of a specific physical presence. It will be multi-sited, and multi-dimensional.
One of the first initiatives under the Learning Hub was announced in January, with the establishment of a Real Estate educational programme by P E Analytics Ltd, with technical assistance and curriculum support from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy, working towards the creation of the first School of Real Estate in India. Senior members of the University also attended the India Global Education Summit in Chennai on 28-29 January.
These announcements, alongside Cambridge University Cricket Club’s tour, reflects the shared ambition to deepen collaboration between Cambridge and India across research, education, sport and wider exchange.
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source: cam.ac.uk