Meet Nadula: The UniSQ student fielding dreams in India

University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) Biomedical Sciences student Nadula Tennakoon recently swapped his lab coat and books for a cricket bat and pads as part of the experience of a lifetime.

After hitting the 2024 UniSport Nationals T20 Cricket competition in July for six, Nadula was one of 14 student-athletes selected (from 11 universities!) to represent Australian Universities in a T20 Cricket tour of India.

Consisting of a series of six matches against prominent Indian university teams in Mumbai and Bhubaneshwar from November 25 – December 6, the inaugural tour of India provided the athletes with an unmatched opportunity to develop their skills and represent their own universities on a global stage.

We caught up with Nadula when he returned from India – check out what he had to say about the trip!

How did you feel when you were selected to represent UniSQ in the first Australian Universities T20 Cricket team?

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to be selected – so when the confirmation email came through, I was absolutely thrilled. The thought of playing alongside some incredible cricketers from universities across Australia was an amazing feeling. Knowing that my performances at UniSport Nationals had been recognised by the selectors and other team coaches felt incredibly rewarding. For me, any opportunity to represent something bigger than myself –whether it’s UniSQ, Queensland, or even the green and gold of Australia – is the highest honour and an unparalleled source of joy.

What was it like to compete against some of the best university teams in India?

I think you only really know how good you are by competing against the best and in India, where cricket is a way of life, it is always going to be a formidable challenge. Hearing that their team was selected from over 1,000 Indian universities left me astounded, especially considering our team came from just 11 universities. Their line-up included professional cricketers and players with IPL and India U19 experience, which made it an incredible learning opportunity. It was all about soaking up as much cricket knowledge as possible from them.

What was the highlight of the tour?

The tour was packed with unforgettable highlights, both on and off the field. Coming in as heavy underdogs, it was surreal to pull off a win against their best team. That match was particularly special for me as I delivered my best batting and bowling performances, which made contributing to the victory even more rewarding. Off the field, we got to experience the incredible passion of Indian cricket culture firsthand, with crowds of up to 7,000 people enthusiastically watching the games. The post-match moments were just as surreal – taking photos and signing autographs for the fans was truly a dream come true.

Something you’ll remember forever?

Two moments from this trip will stay with me forever. The first was visiting the Kalinga Institute of Social Science, where we were greeted with an unforgettable round of applause from 10,000 young Indigenous students receiving free education from prep through to university. Their happiness and gratitude just for seeing us was incredibly moving – it not only made my year but also gave me a moment to reflect and deeply appreciate everything my parents did for me growing up to ensure I could have the opportunity to attend university.

The second highlight was touring the DY Patil Hospital with another future medical student. We explored departments like oncology, radiology, and even the doctors’ lounge. What made this experience truly special was speaking with older patients who shared valuable life advice, reminding me of the privilege of living in Australia and inspiring me to make the most of every opportunity.

Anything else you’d like to add about the trip?

A huge thank you to UniSQ for helping fund this trip and to all my teammates for their unwavering support throughout the process. This tour truly reaffirmed my belief that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve great things. It also reminded me to never take anything for granted and to cherish every moment because there are thousands of young kids dreaming of the same opportunity.