OWN CORRESPONDENT, Nairobi | Wednesday 4.45pm.
A FOUR-NATION cricket tournament involving India, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe will be held here from September 24 to October 5, Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) chairman Sharad Ghai revealed in Nairobi on Wednesday.
In the statement, Ghai said that the limited overs one-day matches will be played at Nairobi’s Gymkhana Stadium near the city centre and will be televised live worldwide by Trans World International to an estimated 200 million TV viewers.
The tournament, coming two months after the World Cup, is the biggest in Kenya since a similar tournament three years ago, involving Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, which was won by South Africa.
South Africa and Zimbabwe have accepted the format of play, where each team plays each other and the best three proceed to the final. Fixtures will be released after India confirms its participation.
International Cricket Council’s Director of Development Ali Bacher and representatives from the nine test-playing nations have been invited to Nairobi to inspect existing facilities.
Kenya failed to win even a single game in the World Cup and its cricket weakness were exposed, with batting showing promise, but bowling was suspect.
KCA has since the tournament appointed Sandip Patil of Pakistan and Australian Bob Dieckman as new coaches.
“The forthcoming tournament will help us improve in all departments. We can only expose our boys by organising such tournaments, which are also good for our country,” Ghai said.
In 1997, New Zealand made a stopover in Nairobi for a series of matches and later the KCA organised a triangular tournament involving Bangladesh, Kenya and Zimbabwe. — AFP