What began as a casual connection three years ago has grown into a partnership that Cricket Uganda believes could reshape the future of the game in the country.
Cricket Uganda chairman Jackson Kavuma expressed his excitement after Cricket Uganda (CU) and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) signed a landmark five-year strategic partnership in Thane, Maharashtra.
The agreement, one of the biggest international collaborations secured by Cricket Uganda, will focus on player development, coaching, high-performance structures, women’s cricket and increased international exposure.
“When I first came here three years ago, it was just a casual relationship. Little did I know it would grow into something this big and something that can take cricket to greater heights,” Kavuma said during the signing ceremony at Dadoji Konddev Stadium.
For Kavuma, the partnership is about more than tours and matches. He believes it will help improve Uganda’s cricket structures while exposing players and officials to new ideas and higher standards.
“As a Board, we are delighted with this five-year partnership because we believe it will change the mindset of our players and officials, improve our structures and help grow our game. We see this as the beginning of many more opportunities,” he said.
The signing ceremony was attended by officials from both associations, members of the Mumbai Falcons franchise and Uganda’s senior men’s team, the Cricket Cranes, who are currently on an eight-match exposure tour in Mumbai.
The tour has already seen Uganda play a series of One-Day and T20 matches against Mumbai Select sides, with MCA facilitating the team’s travel, accommodation and major logistics.
Kavuma also revealed plans to bring the partnership to Uganda, expressing hope that a Mumbai representative side will visit next year.
“We look forward to welcoming a Mumbai team to Uganda next year and continuing to strengthen these ties,” he said.
MCA president Ajinkya Naik described the partnership as beneficial to both sides, noting that Mumbai’s players would gain valuable experience by facing an international team while contributing to the growth of cricket in Africa.
Cricket Cranes head coach Steve Tikolo welcomed the agreement, saying the exposure gained in Mumbai would help Uganda ahead of major tournaments in the coming months.
Cricket Uganda’s Head of High Performance and Pathways, Richard Okia, said the partnership is designed to benefit every level of the game, including Under-19, Under-23, senior men’s and women’s teams.
As Uganda pursues its ambition of becoming one of the world’s leading Associate cricket nations, the deal with Mumbai represents a significant step forward.
