Rwanda Cricket Stadium

Rwanda Cricket Stadium, also known as Kicukiro Oval, is a cricket ground in Kigali, Rwanda. The stadium is officially titled the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium.[1][2] The ground is Rwanda's first dedicated international cricket ground and it quickly became a prominent ground in African cricket.

cricket stadium in Rwanda

Rwanda Cricket Stadium
"Kicukiro Oval" "Rwanda Cricket Stadium"
An aerial photo of the Gahanga Cricket Stadium
Ground information
LocationKigali City, Rwanda
Coordinates2°01′46.3″S 30°06′26″E
Capacity5,000-10,000
OwnerGovernment of Rwanda
OperatorRwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation
TenantsRwanda national cricket team
End names
Pavilion End
Plantation End
International information
First T20I18 August 2021:
 Rwanda v  Ghana
Last T20I31 August 2023:
 Rwanda v  Tanzania
First WT20I18 June 2019:
 Tanzania v  Uganda
Last WT20I17 June 2023:
 Rwanda v  Uganda
As of 31 August 2023
Source: ESPNcricinfo

History

In August 2011, the Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation was formed as a charity, run on a not for profit basis, with the aim of building and managing the first ever dedicated international cricket ground in Rwanda. The ground was completed in March 2017.[3] It is located on a 4.5-hectare (11-acre) site on the edge of Kigali, Rwanda's capital.[4][5][6][7]

The charity is run by a team of cricket enthusiasts from the UK and Rwanda in partnership with the Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation.

In 2012, Brian Lara[8] agreed to become one of the ground's Patrons. The Stadium is also supported by former British Prime Minister David Cameron, Andrew Mitchell, Jonathan Agnew, Heather Knight, Peter Gummer, Baron Chadlington[9][10]

In 2016, Rwanda captain Eric Dusingizimana achieved a Guinness World Record for batting 51 continuous hours at Amaharo Stadium in Remera. This was done to raise funds for the construction of the ground.[11]

Once opened, the ground quickly gained prominence in African cricket and hosted various ICC events. In 2018, the ground was selected to host the matches in the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier Eastern Sub-Region group.[5][6][7] Once all associate members were given T20I status in 2019, the ground hosted its first T20I on 18 August 2021.[12][13]

The stadium also hosted the 2019 Kwibuka Women's T20 Tournament,[14] a women's cricket tournament, in remembrance of the victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.[15] Their successful hosting of multi-national tournaments during peak COVID-19 pandemic following the safety protocols had led to being given more tournaments subsequently.

In November 2022, the ground surpassed the Harare Sports Club as the cricket oval to host the most T20I matches in Africa.[16]

Notable Events

The following notable events were hosted here with ICC International Status:

Bilateral Series

International record

Twenty20 International centuries

Three T20I centuries have been scored at the venue.[17]

No.ScorePlayerTeamBallsOpposing teamInningsDateResult
1100*Orchide Tuyisenge Rwanda 60 Seychelles119 October 2021Won
2104Francisco Couana Mozambique 51 Cameroon13 November 2021Won
3100Vinoo Balakrishnan Botswana 70 Saint Helena125 November 2022Won
4107*Obed Harvey Ghana 54 Gambia18 December 2022Won
5100*Simon Ssesazi Uganda 58 Tanzania122 December 2022Won

Twenty20 International five-wicket hauls

Four 20I five-wicket haul has been taken at this venue.[18]

#FiguresPlayerCountryInningsOpponentDateResult
15/23Samson Awiah Ghana1 Rwanda16 October 2021Won
2 5/9 Kofi Bagabena  Ghana 1  Seychelles 16 October 2021Won
3 5/26 Rexford Bakum  Ghana 2  Lesotho 17 October 2021Won
4 5/19 Francisco Couana  Mozambique 2  Cameroon 3 November 2021Won
5 5/9 Sylvester Okpe  Nigeria 1  Cameroon 5 December 2022Won
6 5/29 Richmond Baaleri  Ghana 2  Gambia 8 December 2022Won

Women's Twenty20 International centuries

Four WT20I centuries have been scored at the venue.[19]

No.ScorePlayerTeamBallsOpposing teamInningsDateResult
1116Prosscovia Alako Uganda 71 Mali120 June 2019Won
2103*Rita Musamali Uganda 61 Mali120 June 2019Won
3114*Marie Bimenyimana Rwanda 81 Mali121 June 2019Won
4108*Fatuma Kibasu Tanzania 71 Mali122 June 2019Won

Women's Twenty20 International five-wicket hauls

Three WT20I five-wicket haul has been taken at this venue.[20]

#FiguresPlayerCountryInningsOpponentDateResult
15/0Nasra Saidi Tanzania2 Mali22 June 2019Won
2 5/12 Sarah Wetoto  Kenya 1  Botswana 7 June 2021Won
3 6/16 Sarah Wetoto  Kenya 1  Namibia 12 June 2021Won

References
  1. "Thousands to grace Gahanga Cricket Stadium inauguration". The New Times. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  2. "Rwanda To Host EAC 2018 World Cricket Qualifiers". KT Press. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  3. Gardner, Alan (4 April 2014). "The cricket ground that was a killing field". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  4. "Cricket stadium to rise in shadow of Rwandan massacre". The Guardian. 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023.
  5. "Welcome to Rwanda, where a new cricket ground is front-page news as part of a growing following for the sport and its power for good". The Independent. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  6. "Rwanda: Gahanga International Cricket Stadium Launched Today". All Africa. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  7. "Kigali welcomes East Africa for ICC World T20 Africa B Qualifier". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  8. UNIVERSITY CRICKET at OXFORD
  9. MCC
  10. "Field of dreams". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023.
  11. "Eric Dusingizimana breaks world cricket batting record". Hiru News. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  12. "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  13. "Full Scorecard of Ghana vs Rwanda 1st T20I 2021 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  14. "Women's Cricket team to face Mali in T20 opener". The New Times. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  15. "Five countries set for cricket memorial tournament". The New Times. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  16. "Records | Twenty20 Internationals | Team records | Most matches on a single ground | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  17. "Batting records | Twenty20 Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  18. "Bowling records | Twenty20 Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  19. "Statistics / Statsguru / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Batting records". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  20. "Statistics / Statsguru / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Bowling records". Retrieved 23 June 2019.
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