After being played for almost three decades, cricket is gradually becoming one of the rising sports in Rwanda with a good number of people embracing it. As of now, an estimated 23,010 people play the sport in Rwanda and there is an 11-month cricket season calendar which is very competitive. Generally, on the African continent, alot of countries have embraced it and according to the International Cricket Council (ICC), South Africa and Zimbabwe are part of its permanent members whereas seventeen other African countries including Rwanda are among associate members. Ironically, in the 57-year history of the All Africa games, cricket has never been part of the list of sporting disciplines which are honored despite its immense growth on the continent. The next All Africa Games which is the 13th edition of the multi-sports event is slated for Ghana in 2023 and cricket has been confirmed as one of the 25 sporting disciplines which will be played. This is going to be the maiden appearance of the sport in the competition and it was made possible by the International Cricket Council Africa team consisting of Patricia Karambani and Kuben Pillay who recently visited the Local Organising Committee in Accra. This is good news for players and lovers of the sport especially in Rwanda where it is really making giant strides. The inclusion of the sport in the next All Africa Games offers the Rwandan Cricket Team an opportunity to market themselves to the rest of the world and also possibly win a medal for the nation. Rwanda has over the years hosted and participated in a lot of cricket tournaments which includes winning the TCC T20 Division 3 tournament in 2011, hosting the 2018 East Africa TCC Tournament, as well as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, the ICC Men’s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifiers Group A and the ICC Men’s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifiers all in 2021. Certainly, should the Rwandan Cricket Team make it to the All Africa Games in Ghana next year, it will undoubtedly be a milestone for the sport in the country and a chance for the country to win a medal in the sport. Players such as Sarah Uwera, Henriette Ishimwe, Immaculate Muhawenimana, Orchide Tuyisenge and Didier Ndikubwimana will be looking forward to writing their names in the letters of gold in the continental fiesta. In any case, the 2023 All African games offers Rwanda a perfect platform to make history by becoming the first country to win a gold medal in cricket in the continental event. With Rwanda keen on investing in cricket, this is certainly a chance for the players to showcase themselves to the world.
