Duo earn first call on national cricket team

Edward Kataaha and Arnold Mulangira are the latest players to be summoned to the national cricket squad for the upcoming ICC/ACA World Cricket League Div 3 tournament in Malawi. On all Rwanda’s three outings (2004, 2006 and 2008) in the Affiliates tournament, batting has been the country’s major hiccup but RCA believes that the pair can solve the team’s batting woes that have plundered the side over the years. “If our batsmen fire on the day and get a good score on board, we will be fierce competitors and that is what we are looking to turn the team into,” an RCA official said. Kataaha won insurmountable praise in 2005 after becoming the first player to score a century in Rwanda’s Cricket history. The middle-order batsman who was playing for Right Guards at the time scored 117 not out in a Sulfo league tie against Kigali Cricket Club (KCC). Although KCC went on to win the game, his contribution received great applauds. Upon his call, Kataaha who has been featuring in the Uganda Cricket League with Nile Cricket Club said that he was very excited and already looking forward to the challenge. “I’m excited about the call and I’m already looking forward to the tournament,” he said. “It’s a strange feeling for me as I have always thought of playing for the national team. It’s a dream come true and a moment to prove that cricket can put the country on map and even with limited resources, Rwandan cricket can hit the Associates level,” he said. The duo joins a tentative 18-man team that was named last week. The Affiliates tournament which has been made annual is set for June and pits Rwanda with Mozambique, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Lesotho, and hosts Malawi. Ends

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Duo earn first call on national cricket team