The Indian American

09 THE INDIAN AMERICAN OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018 he recounted from his office in North Houston. "I was working three jobs and barely had time to sleep." In the month since the complex hosted its first games, a parking lot has been paved, the pavilions have been covered and signs have gone up. Ahmed plans to open a cricket academy there next May where local children can learn the game and, he hopes, become lifelong fans. For now, Ahmed is funding the bulk of the project him- self and already has spent several million dollars, but he's seeking community donations to complete and help maintain the future complex for years to come. His ultimate goal is a stadium that could hold up to 50,000 fans. If Ahmed's vision becomes a reality, Prairie View, popu- lation 6,400, could become a major destination for cricket fans from around the world. Mayor David Allen is working to ensure the city will be ready. He has begun speaking to developers about building more hotels and restaurants, as well as to the state about making the fields more accessible from the highway. "Cricket is not a few hours like a football or baseball game," Allen said. "It can easily be a few days." Some Prairie View A&M University students and faculty members are also excited about having the complex nearby. Pankaj Chhetri, 30, a former student and cur- rent IT professional with the School of Architecture, has wanted to start a cricket team at the university for the past two years. With no place to play, he and sever- al international students set up on the school's tennis court. "Most of them are Asian students, faculty and staff from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh," Chhetri said. "But some of my African-American friends are interested, too, because this is something new for them. I told them, 'This is like Indian baseball.' " -Special To The Washington Post