In a spirited prelude to cricket’s anticipated return to the Olympic stage in 2028, the world of defence cricket is set to witness an exhilarating contest at Exercise Pitch Black 2024.
Today Darwin will host a thrilling four-nation T10 tournament featuring elite teams from the Australian Air Force, Indian Air Force, New Zealand Defence Force, and Royal Air Force (UK).
This exciting cricketing tournament promises to showcase not just the prowess of these formidable cricket teams but also the camaraderie and sportsmanship that transcends national boundaries.
Exercise Pitch Black 2024, held in Australia from July 12 to August 2, is the largest in its 43-year history, with over 140 aircraft and 4,435 personnel from 20 countries participating.
The participating countries include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, the UK, and the USA.
Another significant development in Pitch Black 2024 is the substantial European involvement, with France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK participating.
Air Commodore Peter Robinson, Officer Commanding Exercise from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), stated,
“We have brought like-minded nations that will come together and exercise together. We build capabilities together, we build friendships together, we build relationships together, and we leave the exercise much stronger as partners.”
The unprecedented scale of the exercise underscores growing alarm over Chinese intentions in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
However, participants have emphasised that Pitch Black scenarios are not aimed at any single country, such as China. Instead, interoperability is the key aim, as allies must know how to operate together in peacetime, in case they are ever required to fight side by side.
While Exercise Pitch Black 2024 is a testament to the growing unity amongst nations concerned about regional security threats, this four nations T10 Cricket Tournament highlight the global appeal and growing popularity of the game.
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