Swansea Building Society Cohesion Cup 2026 champions crowned
Swansea Building Society Cohesion Cup 2026 champions crowned
The Cohesion Cup, also previously known as the Cardiff Community Cricket Cup, is an exciting cricket tournament that unites communities of diverse heritage from across Cardiff and SE Wales, and the 2026 champions were crowned in a thrilling contest at Sophia Gardens.
A collaborative effort led by Glamorgan Cricket, Cricket Wales, Swansea Building Society and South Wales Police, the Cohesion Cup has been a flourishing initiative since its inception in 2017. Held annually during the summer months, this competition takes place on the picturesque pitches surrounding Sophia Gardens with the first matches in May. The matches are played with the support of Cardiff Council and the South Wales Police Community team, who make visits to the games in the summer months.
The tournament concludes in an exciting finale – a T20 match at Sophia Gardens where the winning team competes against an invitational XI of, selected guests, and members of the South Wales Police. This year’s Finale took place on Wednesday 19 August.
The primary objective of this project is to remove perceived social barriers and foster positive relationships across communities, leveraging cricket as a catalyst for cohesion.
2026 Finale
The 2026 final to decide who took part in the showpiece event at Sophia Gardens was played between Cardiff Kings and eventual champions Sialkot at Lisvane CC.
And at the Finale, Sialkot batted first and scored 100 all out, with top scores of 26 from Hammad Saleem and 22 from Dan Hay; Sudesh Duburu took 3-12 as the best bowler. The Invitational XI scored 101 for 4 in reply, with Mojeid Ilyas accumulating 31, Sashak Potumarthi 24 and Asim Gilani 18.
Both teams played the game in an excellent spirit at the home of Welsh cricket. The trophy presentations were made by South Wales Police Chief Inspector Tim Ursell and Richard Miles of the Swansea Building Society.
