India Dingoes Crowned 2025 Multicultural Cup Champions

Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Dingoes raced to 45 without loss in the opening six overs, led by Mariyatharsha Shanthakumar’s explosive 49 off 30 balls, which included five boundaries and three towering sixes. When Shanthakumar fell to Sri Lankan skipper Nishan Sanjaya with the score on 1-60 in the ninth over, the Dingoes looked set for a huge total. At 1-110 in the 16th over, they were cruising before Balasooriya’s dismissal triggered a mini collapse, slipping to 6-122. Sanjaya led the fightback for Sri Lanka with 3/28 from his four overs, before a composed 22-run unbeaten stand between Deepanshu Panwar and Noah MacDonald steadied the innings. MacDonald’s quickfire 15 off 9 balls helped the Dingoes post a competitive 6/144.

In reply, Sri Lanka struggled to find rhythm, losing regular wickets to slump to 4-73 in the 11th over. A spirited 37-run stand between Dumindu Ranasinghe and Mihira reignited hope, leaving 34 runs required from the final four overs. But under pressure, Sri Lanka faltered, finishing 17 runs short of the target. Mihira’s valiant 49 off 37 balls wasn’t enough, as the Dingoes’ disciplined bowling and sharp fielding proved decisive. Tharindu Balasooriya starred again with the ball, taking 3/17, while the Dingoes executed three crucial runouts to seal the championship.

Award Winners:

• Player of the Final: Tharindu Balasooriya (India Dingoes)

• Player of the Tournament: Mahmudul Hasan (Bangladesh) – 113 runs, 8 wickets

• Best Batter: Jashandeep Singh Saini (India B) – 162 runs

• Best Bowler: Rohit Adhikari (Nepal) – 13 wickets, including a spell of 5/9

• Best Fielder: Ratan Rawat (Pakistan A) – 4 catches, 3 stumpings, 2 runouts

• Spirit of Cricket: Team Indigenous
  
  

Team of the Tournament:

• Jashandeep Singh Saini (India B)

• Waseem Akram (Pakistan A)

• Shane Moon (Australia B)

• Mariyatharsha Shanthakumar (India Dingoes)

• Zayden Lewis (Australia A)

• Ratan Rawat (Pakistan A)

• Rohit Adhikari (Nepal)

• Minhaj Uddin Ridoy (Bangladesh)

• Dumindu Ranasinghe (Sri Lanka)

• Hamish Martin (Indigenous)

• Tahir Abbas (Pakistan A)

The 2025 Multicultural Cup continued to grow in scale and inclusivity, featuring 12 teams representing 8 cultures, including new entrants England, Nepal, and Indigenous Australians. Across 33 matches played on the turf wickets of DXC Arena, the event brought together 210 players born in 8 different countries and representing families from 13 nations, including Argentina, Kuwait, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the United Kingdom. Twelve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players proudly represented their communities, supported by 18 match officials from Australia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

"The Multicultural Cup is a celebration of who we are as a community. It is a chance to see culture expressed on the cricket field and in the crowd, where families and friends come together through a shared love of cricket to represent their heritage and celebrate their identity."
— Muhammad Abdullah Sohail, NT Cricket’s Competitions & Pathways Coordinator

All matches were live streamed via FrogBox on NT Cricket’s YouTube channel, with the Grand Final telecast live thanks to SportsVot and KiK Digital, showcasing the event to audiences across Australia and beyond.

Proudly supported by the City of Darwin, the Multicultural Cup continues to embody the spirit of connection, inclusion, and celebration through sport. Now in its largest and most competitive edition yet, the event once again demonstrated that cricket is more than just a game, it’s a bridge between cultures, generations and communities across the Northern Territory.