Cricket is more than a game of batting balls and fielding. Far more than promoting endurance and firming up muscles, cricket has been proven to enhance the mental acuity of players in several ways. Truth be told, cricket is considered as Australia’s niche sport. It may be widely played across the world, yet the passion and allegiance to the sport is unlike the Aussie’s way. Fortunately, over the years, the sport has evolved to include an indoor format, which can be guiltlessly enjoyed even on rainy days. If the patriotic sense is strong in you and you’re looking for a physical outlet to destress, consider indoor cricket. Here’s how it helps benefit your mental health.

Practicing Grace Under Pressure

All competitive sports impose pressure on players. In the case of cricket, knowing how to proceed or what action to undertake when the ball is caught by the opposing team’s fielder requires strategy, right then and there. You cannot panic, lest you make wrong moves, faulty decisions. More so, in this game, each player is made more visible to the public because of the different roles and relatively wide grounds on which they are evenly spread compared to other sports. So the pressure to deliver is real. If you want a collaborative way to practice maintaining grace under pressure, I recommend playing indoor cricket.

Providing Cathartic Release

Psychologists nowadays are finding creative, less harmful means for angry people to displace their high-intensity emotions, besides wrecking properties, getting into vices, and shouting hurtful words. I know it sounds crazy but to a certain extent playing cricket gives me an avenue to de-stress and displace my anger or worries on the ball. Mind you, batting a ball right on target can sometimes be a psychological relief, especially when you imagine that a ball is an enemy, a problem, or even a goal. Of course, I won’t recommend doing so during the actual game, instead during practice, possibly with a machine-assisted ball feeder. Some indoor cricket stadiums in Melbourne have advanced facilities that you can take advantage of.

Increases Self-Confidence

Here, I’ll explain confidence in two layers – confidence due to the positive physical change and improvement in performance. An indoor cricket demands agility, precision, and endurance, particularly that during rehearsals you may be trained to play either the role of a bowler or a fielder. The game demands that you run, sprint, bat, catch, and then run again. Things can also get pretty intense when the crowd runs wild with their cheers. Basically, I’m saying that losing weight and getting in shape becomes way easier with indoor cricket. For us women, managing our weight well and staying attractive is already a milestone. 

Secondly, a female cricket player becomes even more confident in her performance at work or generally in life because the game gives you the avenue to score runs regardless of the attempts. Psychologically, this helps a person thrive through difficulties and continuously forge on until an accomplishment is made.

Increases Focus

Lastly, playing cricket increases your focus. They say that successful people are those who have their eyes on a goal and get things through the bitter end. In a typical cricket game, both focus and perseverance are being tested. The mere act of hitting a ball already necessitates concentration, even more so when you have to guard a wicket amidst nuisances.

Indoor cricket also brings a host of physical benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and endurance. You, therefore, not only have fun but also take good care of your health and foster social relations. In Australia, you will not have a difficult time finding women’s cricket clubs as cricket is our forte like chocolate is to the Swiss. I encourage you to try playing and know where I am coming from.