Cricket body unveils team for India tour, ICC tourney

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) has named a 12-member squad for a three-week training camp in India.

For the national team, the India tour is part of their preparations ahead of the 2016 ICC World Cricket League Division tournament to be held in Jersey.

The players who are expected to leave for India tomorrow, are team captain Hamis Abdallah, Khalil Rehemtullah, Kassim Nassoro, Raahil Krishna and Harsheed Anant. Also on the list are Vipin Abraham, Athuman Kassim, Ally Mpeka, Jatin Pratap and Ashish Kamania.

The list also has Kishen Kamania, Nasib Kelvin and Arshaan Jasani.

Abdallah, one of the vastly experienced players in the team, said he was optimistic the will acquire the much needed exposure during the training.

In 2011, the cricketers underwent training in England for 12 days ahead of the ICC World Cricket Division 4 tournament in Malaysia.

“While in India we expect to play a series of build-up matches against leading sides in the Asian country,’ the left-armed spinner said.

“Our target is to return to Division 4. We will, therefore, play our hearts out during the world championship to ensure we realise the set goal,” he said.

“We know that we will be up against some of the best teams in the world, but we have what it takes to contain them,” he insisted. Tanzania, which hosted the WCL Division Four in 2008 before being demoted to Division 5, has participated in the event several times.

The championship serves as World Cup qualifier.

In the 2011 tournament in Malaysia, the local cricketers narrowly avoided relegation to a lower division following a dismal performance.

Apart from Tanzania, the other countries expected to field teams in the Jersey competition include Oman, who finished fifth in the 2014 ICC World Cricket League Division Four.