Cricket: Kenya junior team for World Cup qualifiers named

National men’s junior cricket team will Tuesday start training proper for the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Division One qualifiers planned for July 23 to 29 in Tanzania.

The hosts, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Namibia are the other countries that will compete in the qualifiers, whose winner will clinch the sole ticket to the World Cup that will be held in Sri Lanka.

ICC is yet to release dates for the World Cup.

Kenya progressed to the Division One round as champions of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Division Two qualifiers.

Coach Josephat Irungu's side defeated host Nigeria by 11 runs in a low scoring, tense contest, at the MKO Cricket Stadium, Abuja in October last year.

Irungu has named a 38-man provisional squad for the tournament in Tanzania.

Nairobi has contributed the highest number of players to the squad at 32 while Nakuru and Mombasa counties have produced three players each.

While Irungu will train the Nairobi-based players at Sikh Union Club, those from Nakuru and Mombasa will be trained in those regions by former Kenya internationals Peter Ongondo and Maurice Odumbe respectively.

Cricket Kenya Development Director Thomas Odoyo and the chairperson for the selection committee Alfred Njuguna will oversee the process.

Irungu said that for now, the players will train after school and during weekends.

The provisional squad will then be whittled down to around 18 players after which it will enter residential training camp sometime early next month.

There are also plans for the team to acclimatise in Mombasa two weeks prior to the tournament. Irungu said no one is guaranteed a place in the final squad as only those players who impress will make the cut.

Provisional squad

1. Brian Likavu (WK) – Kenya Kongonis Cricket Club

2. Darsh Panchani – Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

3. Raj Manji – Sikh Union Sports Club

4. Yash Gohil (WK) – Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

5. Vishil Patel – Ruaraka Sports Club

6. Vaibhav Naresh – Stray Lions Cricket Club

7. Dedan Omondi – Stray Lions Cricket Club

8. Stian Smith – Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

9. Yuvraj Bhatyani - Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

10. Duncan Muchenditsi – Kenya Kongonis Cricket Club

11. Rayan Kassam - Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

12. Manveer Singh – Sikh Union Sports Club

13. Krish Haria – Swamibapa Sports Club

14. Peter Ngure – Obuya Cricket Academy

15. Ken Mwangi – Obuya Cricket Academy

16. Allan Kibabi – Kenya Kongonis Cricket Club

17. Jiyan Patel – Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

18. Kelvin Mutembei – Stray Wolves Cricket Club

19. Ankit Ashani – Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

20. Rohit Varsani – Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

21. Neel Doshi - Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

22. Saavir Karani – Obuya Cricket Academy

23. Darshil Suthar – Goan Institute

24. Kelvin Nganga – Kenya Kongonis Cricket Club

25. Ashdeep Kundi – Sikh Union Sports Club

26. Simon Mburu – Kenya Kongonis Cricket Club

27. Arnav Patel - Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

28. Akshith Sekar - Nairobi Gymkhana Sports Club

29. Yug Kerai – Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

30. Garv Galaiya – Stray Leopards Cricket Club

31. Aditya Vekaria – Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

32. Sajeeth Chidmbaram – Stray Lions Cricket Club

33. Hitendra Sanghani – Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

34. Vatsal Shah – Mombasa Sports Club

35.Manav Devani – Mombasa Sports Club

36.Hassan Lijodi – Pirates Cricket Club

37.Yusuf Khamala - Pirates Cricket Club

38.Joseph Macharia - Pirates Cricket Club