English side, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), has embarked on its first overseas tour of 2024. The 13-man squad arrived in Rwanda on Wednesday evening February 21. The team is set to play six matches between February 24 to March 2 at Gahanga Cricket Stadium before heading to Uganda. The English team’s trip has been organised in conjunction with the MCC Foundation (MCCF), who work with around 100,000 young cricketers across East Africa, each year. Over the next few days, members of the MCCF will be in Rwanda where, alongside the MCC squad, will be visiting beneficiaries to provide equipment and coaching, before heading to Uganda to continue their programme of providing opportunities to youngsters through cricket, the club said. MCC’s first fixture of the trip takes place on Saturday against Rwanda Under-19s at the Gahanga Cricket Stadium. Rwanda became an ICC Associate Member in 2017 and have played T20 Internationals since 2021. The team will be captained by Abeed Janmohamed, a wicketkeeper-batter, who previously represented Kenya at the Under-19 World Cup, before going on to play for their senior side in the ICC Intercontinental Cup. Besides Janmohamed, several other members of the squad boast first-class experience. They include off spinner Shaftab Khalid, who featured for Worcestershire and Sam Pearce, a former Glamorgan leg spinner who is captain of the Wales National Counties side. Oliver Bocking, Pieter de Vos Daneel and Jonathan Dewes have also featured in first-class cricket. The remainder of the squad comprises players from the National Counties system and various ECB Premier League teams, which will provide an excellent standard for the opposition which include Rwanda’s senior, ‘A’ and Under-19 sides. Aside from the playing and coaching element of the tour, the MCC contingent will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Team’s Head of Cricket Projects, James Overy, said, “Overseas touring is a big part of the Club’s commitment to growing cricket on a global basis, and we are pleased to be sending a squad to Rwanda. “With the help of the MCC Foundation, which does such great work in this area of Africa, this selection of Playing Members will be leading several coaching sessions with children from local schools and clubs to help develop the game, and we hope that all involved benefit from this, he noted. MCC squad in Rwanda Samir Pathak (Tour Manager), Oliver Bocking, Jed Cawkwell, Pieter Daneel (wk), Jonathan Dewes, Darren Eckford, Abeed Janmohamed (c/wk), Shaftab Khalid, Scott O’Leary, Sam Pearce, Ben Shepperson, Thomas Simeons, Ashley Sivarajah, Michael Wood, Vinoj Srinivasan (Umpire). Full fixtures Saturday, February 24 Rwanda U-19s vs MCC – 20 overs Sunday, February 25 Rwanda U-19s vs MCC – 50 overs February 27 Rwanda U-19s vs MCC – 50 overs February 28 Rwanda U19/U17/U15 MCCF Select XI vs MCC - 20 overs March 2 Rwanda ‘A’ vs MCC Rwanda vs MCC – both matches 20 overs
