Tanzanian cricket hits new heights with school project

DAR ES SALAAM: 202S will remain a banner year for cricket as it has made Tanzania shine globally in both 50-over and 20-over disciplines

Among the notable milestones are the successes recorded by the country’s men’s cricket team, which was crowned the 2025 Quad Nations T20 Cup champions courtesy of a dominant 10-wicket victory over Bahrain in Malawi.

Additionally, the women’s cricket team made a significant contribution to the success of the year, lifting the NIDA Textiles Cup after defeating Canada in Dar es Salaam.

All these, among others, have played a big role in skyrocketing Tanzania’s cricket as stakeholders look forward to another prosperous 2026.

However, these achievements could not be cherished without acknowledging the massive investment in youth cricket development, with much focus on school-level cricket tournaments.

The Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) is working around the clock drumming for schools to embrace cricket in their sports calendars.

For Al Muntazir International School, they are already on the ground implementing TCA’s vision and recently, they hosted a successful Inter-School Cricket League comprising of Under-15 and Under-19 teams drawn from different parts in Dar es Salaam.

For the Under-15 category, Al Muntazir Boys emerged champions after winning all three of their matches, while the second place went to Chanika Boys who recorded two wins from three games.

School Combine came third on the log after winning one match, whereas Kigamboni Boys scooped the bottom slot since they did not manage to win a match.

In the category of Under-19, Azania Boys won the title seconded by DSM School Combine while Al Muntazir Boys, Chanika Boys and AMSB Boys accumulated third, fourth, and fifth slots apiece.

“This year’s cricket tournament was both competitive and rewarding. Our team approached each game with discipline and focus, and the experience strengthened our unity and performance,” said Al Muntazir Boys captain Hatim Moiz Salemwalla, who is aged 10.

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Queried why he chose cricket over other sports disciplines, he replied: “Cricket combines strategy, teamwork, and mental strength. I enjoy the tactical side of the game and the way every player has a defined role. It challenges me in all the right ways. While I genuinely enjoy playing the sport, I also hope to continue improving and possibly pursue cricket professionally in the future.”

Commenting on the importance of youth cricket tournaments, he said they are essential because they provide match experience, build confidence, and help develop players technically and mentally. They also play a vital role in identifying and nurturing young talent.

On his part, Chanika Boys coach Shedrack Michael highlighted that his side has gained a lot from the tournament, which they will use to make the team very competitive.

“Generally, the tournament was well organised, and each team displayed good performance, which orchestrated the competition to be very tough for each side.

Meanwhile, Al Muntazir School’s Head of Sports, Abinel Matemera, thanked the management of the school for sponsoring the tournaments, saying it is a step forward towards building strong cricket foundations in the country.

“But, we still need more support from different stakeholders and corporates to uplift this sport together.

“We have so many activities lined up and we also want to have a big functional league involving all schools and having cricket introduced in all schools…this is our dream at Al Muntazir School and we appreciate all the support we can get,” he said.