Tanzania Cricket Gets Boost From New High Performance Centre

3 August 2026
Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
By Florian Jamax

Dar es Salaam — TANZANIA'S ambition to become one of Africa's leading cricket nations has received a major boost with the inauguration of the new Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Cricket Arena at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) sports ground.

The facility will serve as the national cricket highperformance centre, providing training facilities for men, women and Under-19 national teams. It will also support grassroots and elite cricket development programmes.

During the inauguration, International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman, Jay Shah, said Tanzania's investment in cricket infrastructure and youth development was strengthening the country's position among Africa's emerging cricket nations.

He noted that continued investment could put Tanzania in a position to host major ICC tournaments. Shah said the facility is an investment in the development of players, coaches and officials.

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"Our purpose is to make cricket stronger, wider, more competitive and more accessible. This country is a strong example of what that ambition looks like when participation, pathways, partnerships and infrastructure move forward together.

"The World Cup is returning to Africa through South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Having seen the facilities here, if you continue investing, the next African World Cup could also come to this country," he said.

Tanzania now has 27 cricket facilities, 119 active coaches and 75 active umpires.

According to Shah, more than 158,000 people participated in cricket in Tanzania in the latest ICC census, with male and female participation almost equal. Overall participation has increased by 70 per cent since 2024, mainly due to growth in junior cricket.

Shah congratulated Tanzania on qualifying for the 2026 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, saying the achievement shows results that could come from sustained investment in junior cricket.

The first phase of construction was completed in 16 months. The remaining works, including spectator stands and additional facilities for athletes, are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The venue is scheduled to host two international tournaments this month before the remaining works are completed.

Read the original article on Daily News.

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