Indian students from Australian capital city campuses are the mainstay of a unique cricket challenge event to be held in the nation's ‘Beef Capital' - Rockhampton.

They have been the most keen to be involved in the CQUniversity Chancellor's Challenge Cup Cricket Tournament, due to be held on the weekend of August 16-17.

Other nationalities are involved, with players from Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The tournament is planned to involve the visiting international students and Australian players in a round-robin series of limited-overs matches at several cricket grounds around the city.

The international students will travel from campuses at Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney especially to compete alongside students and staff from Rockhampton.

A keen city-level cricketer back in his home country of India, Naimish Patel is now looking forward to captaining a team against international opposition.

He is the face of Rockhampton's home team for the tournament.

Naimish comes from Baroda near Mumbai in western India where he admits 99% of residents are cricket mad.

Before arriving in Australia he was involved in cricket competitions throughout the city and also at university level.

Having completed a nursing degree at CQUniversity, Naimish is now working at Rockhampton Base Hospital's mental health unit and is studying towards a postgraduate degree in mental health nursing.

He has previously been involved in the CQUniversity Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society, the University Mentor Program and the Relay for Life fundraiser held at Rockhampton campus.