Cricketer Uwamahoro eyes Guinness World record

After Eric Dusingizimana broke the Guinness World record after batting 51 hours straight in the net, another Rwandan female cricket player, Cathia Uwamahoro is set to embark on a similar journey but focusing on setting a record as a first female cricketer. The 23-year-old Rwanda international will be the first female cricket player to attempt to set the World record batting in the net. According to organisers, the Charity Cricket Club player will bat for 26 hours in the net at Amahoro Indoor Stadium on February 17 and once she completes them, then she will become the first female cricket player to hold the record for the longest batting in the net. Several cricket players both men and women will bowl for Uwamahoro in her bid to set the record. The Charity CC captain has already entered training camp to prepare for that day and she is confident she will set a record that would stand for a long time. “I am working very hard, spending 8 hours every day in the net batting. I am practicing for the 26 hours that I will be batting come February 17,” she told Times Sport on Sunday. Uwamahoro says her motivation for an attempt at a world record is to promote women cricket in Rwanda, as well as fundraise for the first international cricket stadium construction that is already underway at Gahanga in Kicukiro District. She notes that, “Despite the great strides that Rwanda Cricket Association has made towards the development of the game in Rwanda, girls participation is still very low, which I think is due to lack inspiration in the game.” Pioneer Uwamahoro, started playing Cricket at the age of 14 with the then Kigali Combined Club, a team where all female cricket players belonged before more women clubs were established. Uwamahoro was among the club’s pioneer players, and it was not long before she was called to join the first national U-19 team that went on to compete in several ICC Africa U-19 Women Championships. She then joined Charity CC, a club she has helped to win a total of nine titles with the club as the vice-captain and 13 personal awards. Charity CC’s nine titles since 2013 include; UAE Exchange (2013), V.R. Naidu T20, UAE Exchange, Blue Belly and Computer Point (2014), RCA T10, V.R. Naidu T20, UAE Exchange and Computer Point (2015) and this year’s V.R. Naidu T20. Her personal achievements include; VR Naidu T20 player of the match awards five times, 2015 RCA expatriate most sixes, best batter and best fielder, RCA T10 MVP. She has represented the country in many international competitions both within and outside the country. She has been voted as Charity CC best player of the year for the past three consecutive seasons. Dusingizimana sets new world record Rwanda men’s national team captain Eric Dusingizimana set a new world record for the longest time spent batting in the net, in May last year at the same venue. He spent 51 hours in the nets. Dusingizimana broke Indian Virag Male’s 50 hour Guinness World record for the longest period spent batting in the net. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Cricketer Uwamahoro eyes Guinness World record