Dar es Salaam, Aug 3 (IANS) International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah officially inaugurated the Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Cricket Arena at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) on Monday, hailing it as a transformative step for the sport in the region.
The venue stands as the first ICC-approved cricket arena in the nation and also marked the first time a Chairman of cricket’s global governing body has officially inaugurated a facility in Tanzania.
“Congratulations to @crickettanzania on the opening of the Tanzania Cricket Arena – a landmark moment for cricket in Tanzania and across Africa. It was an honour to officially inaugurate this terrific new facility, the first ICC-approved cricket arena in the country. The venue is a testament to the vision, dedication and hard work of everyone involved in growing the game in Tanzania,” wrote Shah on his social media accounts on Monday.
Alongside Shah, TCA Chairman Balakrishna Sreekumar and Kanu Rathod, Founder and Group Leader of Cricket Legends of Tanzania and TCA Country Coordinator for the UK and Europe, were also present.
Serving as the national high-performance centre, the new venue will accommodate training for Tanzania’s men’s, women’s, and Under-19 national teams, while driving grassroots and elite development programs across the country.
Tanzania’s cricketing community currently stands at 27 dedicated facilities and is supported by 119 active coaches and 75 umpires. The cricketing participation has surged by 70 percent since 2024 – reaching over 158,000 active players, with near-equal representation between male and female participants, largely fueled by school-level engagement.
It’s also helped by the fact that Tanzania qualified for this year’s ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. While the primary phase of the venue was completed in just 16 months, the facility is already slated to host two international tournaments this month. Construction on the remaining infrastructure, including spectator stands and specialised athlete amenities, is set for completion by the end of the year.
–IANS
nr/bsk/