Hundreds of youngsters gathered at Gahanga Cricket Stadium this Sunday, August 25, to engage in a series of sporting activities and fun as part of the legacy programs for the ongoing ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 qualifiers, which are being hosted in Kigali.
Laughter, lots of energy and sheer focus made it a morning to remember for the youngsters, volunteer coaches, teachers and enthusiastic parents as players from the seven participating nations (Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Lesotho and Eswatini) in the ICC Under 19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 qualifiers and ICC officials, passed on valuable life skills, knowledge and cricketing skills and drills.
This coincided with the Olympic Day celebrations in Rwanda, where a series of activities, including pep talks on Olympic values, environmental conversation, and several sporting competitions, were also held.
What they said
The General Manager of the Rwanda Cricket Association, Emmanuel Byiringiro, was impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm.
“To see everyone that’s come out to support the day – youngsters, teachers, parents, coaches, and the ICC is a wonderful thing, and I believe that this is a great opportunity for children from different walks of life to get together and be inspired by their peers and national team players,” he said.
“Such activities are an essential building block for learning cricketing basics and entrenching a love for the game among youngsters,” Byiringiro added.
Olympic Day, a global celebration of sport and getting active, is usually marked on June 23. However, after getting the green light from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee switched the date because June coincided with other key national events.
Besides being one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, there’s plenty for the ICC and cricket enthusiasts to jubilate following the IOC’s recent confirmation that cricket will feature at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“Having cricket at the Olympics means an interaction of a global audience because both cricket and the Olympics have a huge global following,” RCA’s President Stephen Musaale said.
“I also believe that the women’s game stands to benefit. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, women’s cricket was a massive success and increased the Games’ popularity.”
“I would expect a similar effect now with the Olympics in creating popularity — inspiring young women worldwide to play cricket,” he added.
The ICC Under 19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 Qualifiers will continue tomorrow.
Match Day 4 Fixtures: Monday 26th August
9.30am – Malawi Vs Lesotho at Gahanga 1
9.30am – Eswatini Vs Botswana at Gahanga 2
1.50pm – Mozambique Vs Kenya at Gahanga 1
1.50pm – Sierra Leone Vs Lesotho at Gahanga 2
Courtesy Photos
