Agarkar Centre of Excellence (ACE), a unique foundation that focuses on integrating sports and education, recently launched Cricket-Math™ in association with UnMath School. The specially designed Math skills online program helps children increase their understanding and knowledge in Math with the help of different aspects related to cricket.

A joint initiative by distinguished Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar, Award-winning Educationalist Fatema Agarkar, co-founders of ACE and Divesh Bathija, founder of UnMath School, the initiative aims to enable students to look at the subject beyond traditional textbooks and make learning a fun and engaging experience while sitting at home.

A format developed for middle schoolers (Grade 5 to 8), the short certified courses encompass a plethora of interesting features such as virtual conversations, cricket videos, case studies, discussions with cricket fans, etc. The Cricket-Math™ team will conduct a functional online skill assessment to determine the appropriate ‘play’ level for children. The levels are Rookie Play (Beginners), Rookie Plus Play (Intermediate) and Pro Play (Advanced). The idea of Cricket-Math™ is to make the boring Math routine interesting time-to-time.

Ajit Agarkar said, “As a sportsman, one learns so many things on the field. Different perspectives as a player help realize that some games are ‘lost’ on a given day but also give a player plenty to reflect upon. With this program, children will learn that one has to keep trying to attain success and not let their morale down even when situations are tough. With the help of Cricket Math they will learn Math in an interesting and innovative way and make it more play than studies.”

Fatema Agarkar commented, “Life skills is the nucleus around which all subjects and co-curricular will center in the years to come because I think statistics ‘scream’ out that grades and marks alone cannot define success and enable or empower these children. They need practical and hands-on skills that make them life ready and these indeed can be taught.”

She further adds, “Sports is the perfect blend, from decision making, handling pressure, managing conflicts or complexity to creativity, flexibility, relationship management, time management or even project management skills. Just like you go about preparing for a tournament, this curriculum will help children become future ready.”

Divesh Bathija said, “Cricket is all about numbers and in India it is the most popular sports by far, which makes Cricket Math, an interesting approach for learning math. Even mathematicians Hardy and Littlewood used it to explain their Maximal Function. They once famously asserted, “It is most easily grasped when stated in the language of cricket.” Cricket has over 1bn fans globally, with the Indian sub-continent alone constituting more than 90% of them, according to market research by the ICC. Cricket is not just a sport, hence associating it with mathematics will make in interesting for students to learn and understand.”