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 has quickly became a prominent ground in African cricket.
| "Kicukiro Oval" "Rwanda Cricket Stadium" | |
 An aerial photo of the Gahanga Cricket Stadium | |
| Ground information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Kigali City, Rwanda |
| Coordinates | 2°01′46.3″S 30°06′26″E / 2.029528°S 30.10722°E |
| Capacity | 5,000-10,000 |
| Owner | Government of Rwanda |
| Operator | Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation |
| Tenants | Rwanda national cricket team |
| End names | |
Pavilion End  Plantation End | |
| International information | |
| First T20I | 18 August 2021: Rwanda v  Ghana |
| Last T20I | 31 August 2023: Rwanda v  Tanzania |
| First WT20I | 18 June 2019: Tanzania v  Uganda |
| Last WT20I | 17 June 2023: Rwanda v Uganda |
| As of 31 August 2023 Source: ESPNcricinfo | |
History edit
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, West Indian cricketing great 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 edit
The following notable events were hosted here with ICC International Status:
- 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier
- Qualifier A, Qualifier B, Regional Final
- 2022–23 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier
- Qualifier A, Qualifier B
- Kwibuka T20 Tournament
- 2022 East Africa T20 Series
Bilateral Series edit
International record edit
Twenty20 International centuries edit
Five T20I centuries have been scored at the venue.[17]
| No. | Score | Player | Team | Balls | Opposing team | Innings | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100* | Orchide Tuyisenge | Rwanda |
60 |  Seychelles |
1 | 19 October 2021 | Won |
| 2 | 104 | Francisco Couana |  Mozambique |
51 |  Cameroon |
1 | 3 November 2021 | Won |
| 3 | 100 | Vinoo Balakrishnan |  Botswana |
70 |  Saint Helena |
1 | 25 November 2022 | Won |
| 4 | 107* | Obed Harvey | Ghana |
54 |  Gambia |
1 | 8 December 2022 | Won |
| 5 | 100* | Simon Ssesazi | Uganda |
58 | Tanzania |
1 | 22 December 2022 | Won |
Twenty20 International five-wicket hauls edit
Six 20I five-wicket haul has been taken at this venue.[18]
| # | Figures | Player | Country | Innings | Opponent | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5/23 | Samson Awiah | Ghana |
1 | Rwanda |
16 October 2021 | Won |
| 2 | 5/9 | Kofi Bagabena | Ghana
|
1 | Seychelles
|
16 October 2021 | Won |
| 3 | 5/26 | Rexford Bakum | Ghana
|
2 |  Lesotho
|
17 October 2021 | Won |
| 4 | 5/19 | Francisco Couana | Mozambique
|
2 | Cameroon
|
3 November 2021 | Won |
| 5 | 5/9 | Sylvester Okpe |  Nigeria
|
1 | Cameroon
|
5 December 2022 | Won |
| 6 | 5/29 | Richmond Baaleri | Ghana
|
2 | Gambia
|
8 December 2022 | Won |
Women's Twenty20 International centuries edit
Four WT20I centuries have been scored at the venue.[19]
| No. | Score | Player | Team | Balls | Opposing team | Innings | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 116 | Prosscovia Alako | Uganda |
71 |  Mali |
1 | 20 June 2019 | Won |
| 2 | 103* | Rita Musamali | Uganda |
61 | Mali |
1 | 20 June 2019 | Won |
| 3 | 114* | Marie Bimenyimana | Rwanda |
81 | Mali |
1 | 21 June 2019 | Won |
| 4 | 108* | Fatuma Kibasu | Tanzania |
71 | Mali |
1 | 22 June 2019 | Won |
Women's Twenty20 International five-wicket hauls edit
Three WT20I five-wicket haul has been taken at this venue.[20]
| # | Figures | Player | Country | Innings | Opponent | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5/0 | Nasra Saidi | Tanzania |
2 | Mali |
22 June 2019 | Won |
| 2 | 5/12 | Sarah Wetoto |  Kenya
|
1 | Botswana
|
7 June 2021 | Won |
| 3 | 6/16 | Sarah Wetoto | Kenya
|
1 |  Namibia
|
12 June 2021 | Won |
References edit
- ^ "Thousands to grace Gahanga Cricket Stadium inauguration". The New Times. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ "Rwanda To Host EAC 2018 World Cricket Qualifiers". KT Press. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ Gardner, Alan (4 April 2014). "The cricket ground that was a killing field". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Cricket stadium to rise in shadow of Rwandan massacre". The Guardian. 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023.
- ^ a b "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. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Rwanda: Gahanga International Cricket Stadium Launched Today". All Africa. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Kigali welcomes East Africa for ICC World T20 Africa B Qualifier". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ "UNIVERSITY CRICKET at OXFORD". Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ^ "MCC". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ^ Hoult, Nick (18 February 2016). "Field of dreams". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023.
- ^ "Eric Dusingizimana breaks world cricket batting record". Hiru News. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of Ghana vs Rwanda 1st T20I 2021 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Women's Cricket team to face Mali in T20 opener". The New Times. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Five countries set for cricket memorial tournament". The New Times. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ^ "Records | Twenty20 Internationals | Team records | Most matches on a single ground | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Batting records | Twenty20 Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Bowling records | Twenty20 Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ "Statistics / Statsguru / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Batting records". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "Statistics / Statsguru / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Bowling records". Retrieved 23 June 2019.
External links edit
- Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation
- espncricinfo magazine
- UNIVERSITY CRICKET at OXFORD Archived 30 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine