HARD work and sacrifice have paid off handsomely for the Kabara cricket team, who triumphed over defending champions Suva by six wickets to win the 2026 Cricket Fiji Easter Games tournament at Albert Park in Suva yesterday.
Team manager Volau Baleyaga described the victory as a special one, a sweet redemption following their finals defeat last year.
“Three times we have made it to the finals, first in 2024 where we took home the trophy, last year we fell short against Suva but this year we came out victorious against Suva,” he said.
Based on the island of Kabara in the Lau Group, Baleyaga credited the team’s success to their unwavering faith, which helped them overcome poor preparation and a lack of training facilities to defeat the city-based champions.
“We only had one month of preparation but as a team we placed a ban on alcohol, kava and smoking with an emphasis on spiritual preparation heading into the competition,” he explained.
He admitted that the team initially struggled to uphold the ban but managed to stay committed during the final three weeks.
“After the victory we now have this special church service ending the ban on the team,” he noted.
Beyond their victory and participation in the Easter Games, Baleyaga highlighted the positive impact the sport has had in keeping the youth engaged amid the nation’s ongoing battle with drug-related issues.
“With this victory we hope it will keep more our youths and village members interested in the game after this competition keeping them away from these social problems affecting our nation,” he said.
