BCA, INDIA HIGH COMMISSION SIGN LANDMARK AGREEMENT
Amongst Africa’s fast emerging cricket nations, particularly the women’s’ game is Botswana, who have enjoyed the spotlight in recent years, thanks to being the hosts of several cricket competitions within the continent.
Botswana hosted the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers in 2021 post state of emergency, the ICC inaugural U19 Women’s World Cup Africa Qualifier last year and once again, in August 2023, the local cricket governing mother-body was handed the onus to host the ICC Africa Division 2 Africa T20 World Cup Qualifiers.
BCA have made meaningful strides towards achieving their mandate of catalyzing the development of cricket in the country and their efforts have been acknowledged as India High Commissioner to Botswana, Bharath Kumar Kuthati, facilitated a pathway through which local cricket stands to benefit greatly. The Indian High Commissioner has played a significant role in the development of sport in the country as they have awarded athletes scholarships, particularly from Table Tennis and Cycling amongst codes that have benefitted. This time around however, the Indian High Commissioner has laid the foundation for strong cricketing ties for Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) in partnership with Karnataka State Cricket
Association (KSCA) to enhance the development of the game.
KSCA is a prominent state association under the auspices of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Having produced cricket legends such as Gundappa Vishwanath, Brijesh Patel, Anil Kumble, and Rahul Dravid, to name but just a few, and currently Veda Krishnamurthy, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who fly their country’s’ flag high in the Indian Women’s team, KSCA’s involvement in the local game has been warmly welcomed. KSCA and BCA are set for a long-term partnership, which will only benefit BCA and local players.
“The underlying factor behind this partnership is more intense, it is not just about going there [India] playing games and then come back, there is a continuity plan, it will not be a once off event. Our players and coaches will have first-hand high-level appreciation of cricket and they will be able to come and build on what they have learned there,” Damodar highlighted during a phone interview with
Some of the highlights of the document proposed by KSCA have salient aspects such as proposal to utilize cricket as a vehicle to leverage and build upon a partnership with the Botswana Cricket Association to complement India’s endeavour towards consolidating bilateral relations with the Republic of Botswana.
First part of the plan entails hosting Women’s senior national Cricket team from November to December 2023 and
Sun Sports.
the second part of the plan will encompass the Grass Root level Boys Coaching Clinic in January to March 2024. Last part of the grand master plan to develop the local game will see structuring of the Cricket league Matches and follow up according to information shared by BCA. “We are extremely privileged and excited to announce that Part A is in the implementation stage, as our Women’s team (Herons), are scheduled to depart on November 2nd, 2023, arriving in Bengaluru on the morning of November 3rd, 2023. They are scheduled to return on November 14th, 2023,” BCA Vice Chairperson Sumod Damodar told Sun Sports. KSCA has plans for in-class learning and practical coaching sessions with their Level 3 & 2 coaches for batting, bowling, wicketkeeping, fielding, and video analysis of the players, over and above the scheduled matches. “There will also be a guided tour of the M Chinnaswamy International Stadium and the National Cricket Academy during the prescribed visit,” he added.
According to BCA, KSCA will bear all the costs of transportation for the trip to Bangalore airport, intra-city transportation and return, accommodation, food and laundry through 8 double-occupancy rooms and 3 single-occupancy rooms. Damoda further reiterated that there is a need to roll competition plans across the country to be able to fully benefit from their partnership with KSCA, adding that, the return of school sport will be warmly welcomed.