Experienced Tournaments Director at the International Cricket Council (ICC), Kuben Pillay, has lauded Rwanda’s progress as the country continues to host international tournaments.
Days after consulting representatives from member countries, including Rwanda, participating countries and the ICC Global Pathways Events Manager, the International Cricket Council in July confirmed Rwanda as hosts for four of the five Africa regional qualifying competitions.
Besides the U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifiers, which got underway in Kigali on Thursday, September 30, Rwanda was also handed the hosting rights for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers (November 15-21), the ICC Men’s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifiers Group A (October 14-23) and the ICC Men’s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifiers Group B, scheduled from October 31 to November 8.
The only Africa qualifying cricket tournament that Rwanda didn’t host this year is the 2022 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, which was handed to Botswana.
Held from September 7-20, the tournament ended with Zimbabwe lifting the crown and claiming the lone slot into the 2022 global qualifiers after beating Namibia in the final.
Pillay, who is in Rwanda as the tournament director of the 2022 ICC U-19 World Cup qualifiers, told Weekend Sport that giving Rwanda the right to host four events didn’t come by accident but on merit, based on how the country has fared in organising international cricket tournaments in recent years.
"The first tournament that we had in Rwanda was the T20 Qualifiers East Region in 2018 and that was a really successful tournament for us,” said Pillay, noting that "It cemented the country’s capabilities to host events of that magnitude.”
"The success of that tournament, the annual Kwibuka Women’s T20 tournament and, overall, the Covid-19 protocols that were put in place gave us all the confidence to bring these tournaments here,” he added.
Since he arrived in Rwanda earlier this week to follow the 2022 ICC U-19 men’s qualifiers, Pillay says he was impressed by the preparations prior to Thursday’s kick off.
"I have been impressed with the work done by the local organising committee and the board. Every team member has put in effort to get the tournament up and running,” he said.
This year’s Africa qualifiers has attracted five countries namely; Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Namibia and hosts Rwanda. The top team will automatically secure a ticket to the 2022 ICC U-19 World Cup in the West Indies.
It will be the fourteenth edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, and the first to be held in the West Indies.
The showpiece will confirm the country to snatch the last available ticket for the 16-team World Cup.
Qualified teams:
West Indies, Australia, India, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, UAE, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Ireland.