Rwanda national cricket team captain Eric Dusingizimana has vowed to continue working hard, not only to improve his game but also to develop into a much better player.

Dusingizimana has become a celebrity at home after becoming the first Rwandan to hold a Guinness world record when he batted for 51 hours in the nets. 

Dusingizimana, who opens the batting for Rwanda, was bowled only twice during his mammoth session which included facing deliveries from Tony Blair and the British High Commissioner to Rwanda.

He was allowed a five-minute break every hour and despite more than two days at the crease, was able to celebrate at the end with a headstand.

The Right Guards captain spoke to Sunday Sport in exclusive interview about his experience while in the United Kingdom, where he dined and interacted with some of cricket greats, both current and former players.

"They train every day, a cricket player in England cannot sleep before touching a bat or a ball at whatever cost,” said Eric Dusingizimana.

He noted that though they are well equipped with modern training facilities, including indoor stadium where they train from in case of rain, the rate at which they work is what amused him most.

Dusingizimana explained that, "Looking at the way we do it here, we sometimes train because we have games to play and after that we stop and concentrate on our own schedules, there, it is totally a different story, I learnt that players in England work hard with or without a tournament.” 

The Rwanda captain, who had been on a special invitation to London to be part of the fundraising dinner at Lord’s at which around £120,000 (about Rwf140 million) was pledged to the charity appeal to build the first cricket stadium in Rwanda. 

Meanwhile, construction of the long-awaited Rwf950.2 million state-of-the-art international cricket stadium in Rwanda at Gahanga in Kicukiro district has started, and the stadium is expected to be ready for use in two years.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw