TZ Cricket honoured with two ICC Global Awards
SINGAPORE: THE Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) has continued to earn international recognition after receiving two prestigious awards from the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the ICC Global Conference held over the weekend in Singapore.
The honours include the 2024 ICC Grassroots Cricket Development Award and a Long-Serving Official Award presented to ICC approved referee Adil Kassam.
Kassam was awarded in recognition of his outstanding dedication and commitment towards development of cricket and long-standing service to the sport.
The TCA was recognised for its successful Criiio Cricket Festivals, a grassroots initiative held in Dar es Salaam last year.
The award was received on behalf of the association by TCA Vice Chairman Ashish Nagewadia, who also had the privilege of delivering a presentation on Tanzania cricket development to over 250 delegates at the global conference.
Speaking to the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday, TCA Chairman Balakrishnan Sreekumar expressed his excitement over the global recognition.
“We are thrilled to receive these two awards on such a prestigious international platform. This is the result of collective efforts, dedication and collaboration among our leaders, players and all stakeholders in Tanzanian cricket,” he said.
He noted that the awards followed an extensive voting process conducted by an independent jury comprising administrators, former players, media professionals and cricket development experts.
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The ICC Grassroots Cricket Development Award recognises outstanding grassroots programmes by ICC Associate Members that significantly boost participation, particularly among women and girls, while promoting the growth of the sport at the community level.
In a congratulatory statement recently, the ICC commended the TCA’s tremendous efforts in growing the game in Tanzania and expressed enthusiasm for continued collaboration.
The award-winning Criiio Cricket Festival featured three vibrant phases: beginning with schoolgirls, followed by university students and concluding with community women.
Each category attracted over 20 participating teams, creating an inclusive and energetic environment that highlighted cricket’s growing popularity among women in the country.
The event also drew attention from key ICC figures, including ICC Women’s Cricket Officer Amna Rafiq and ICC Africa Regional Manager Justin Ligyalingi, who attended the festival in support of the initiative.
