Sierra_Leone_national_cricket_team
Sierra Leone national cricket team
Cricket team
The Sierra Leone national cricket team is the men's team that represents Sierra Leone in international cricket. They became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2002[6] and an associate member in 2017.[1]
Flag of Sierra Leone | ||||||||||
| Association | Sierra Leone Cricket Association | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | ||||||||||
| Captain | George Ngegba | |||||||||
| Coach | Solomon Fatoma | |||||||||
| International Cricket Council | ||||||||||
| ICC status | Associate member[1] (2017) Affiliate member (2002) | |||||||||
| ICC region | Africa | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
| International cricket | ||||||||||
| First international | v  Gambia, 1927[3] | |||||||||
| Twenty20 Internationals | ||||||||||
| First T20I | v  Nigeria at University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Lagos; 19 October 2021 | |||||||||
| Last T20I | v  Ghana at Willowmoore Park, Benoni; 17 December 2023 | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
| As of 1 January 2024 | ||||||||||
In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Sierra Leone and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have the T20I status.[7]
The history of cricket in Sierra Leone dates back to the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate when it was introduced by the British. In 1887, a Sierra Leone team played a two-day match against a team from the West India Regiments.[8] International cricket dates from the 1930s when Sierra Leone began to play Gambia. In 1967 the West African Championships were created with former British colonies Nigeria and Ghana also sending teams.[3] Starting in 1991, the Sierra Leone Civil War caused a decline in cricketing activity, with the country's main ground Kingtom Oval used as a refugee camp.[9]
Sierra Leone was a member of the West Africa Cricket Council which became a member of the ICC in 1976 and fielded the West Africa cricket team, before being dissolved in 2003. The Sierra Leone Cricket Association became an affiliate member of the ICC in its own right in 2002 and made its debut at an ICC tournament at the 2004 African Affiliates Championship, where they finished last out of the eight teams. They returned at the equivalent tournament in 2006, Division Three of the African region of the World Cricket League, where they showed major improvement, this time finishing as runners-up to Mozambique, and only just missing out on promotion to Division Two.
T20I status (2019-present)
Sierra Leone gained T20I status in 2019 and played their first match against Nigeria in 2021, securing a narrow win.[10]
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Isaac Okpe 36 (27) Miniru Kpaka 4/11 (4 overs) |
Sierra Leone won by 6 wickets University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Lagos Umpires: Kehinde Olanbiwonnu (Nga) Player of the match: Miniru Kpaka (Sle) |
- Sierra Leone won the toss and elected to field.
In 2021 Sierra Leone was among five teams excluded from the ICC T20I Championship for failing to play enough fixtures in the relevant period, an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]
This lists all the players who have played for Sierra Leone in the past 12 months or has been part of the latest T20I squad. Uncapped players are listed in italics. Updated as of 17 December 2023.
| Name | Age | Batting style | Bowling style | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batters | ||||
| Lansana Lamin | 38 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| Alusine Turay | 16 | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | |
| Aruna Kainessie | 23 | Right-handed | ||
| Yegbeh Jalloh | 23 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| Ibrahim Sesay | 16 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| All-rounders | ||||
| George Ngegba | 21 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | Captain |
| Chernoh Bah | 21 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| Abass Gbla | 26 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| Miniru Kpaka | 21 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| Ibrahim Kamara | 31 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| John Lassayo | 20 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
| Wicket-keeper | ||||
| John Bangura | 18 | Right-handed | ||
| Spin Bowler | ||||
| Raymond Coker | 16 | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | |
| Pace Bowlers | ||||
| George Sesay | 17 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| Samuel Conteh | 20 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
International Match Summary — Sierra Leone[12]
Last updated 17 December 2023
| Playing Record | ||||||
| Format | M | W | L | T | NR | Inaugural Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twenty20 Internationals | 33 | 12 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 19 October 2021 |
Twenty20 International
- Highest team total: 150/9 v. Cameroon on 2 December 2022 at Rwanda Cricket Stadium, Kigali[13]
- Highest individual score: 78*, Alusine Turay v. Ghana on 17 December 2023 at Willowmoore Park, Benoni[14]
- Best individual bowling figures: 5/16, Abass Gbla v. Nigeria on 26 October 2021 at University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Lagos[15]
T20I record versus other nations[12]
Records complete to T20I #2409. Last updated 17 December 2023.
| Opponent | M | W | L | T | NR | First match | First win |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs Associate Members | |||||||
 Botswana | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 November 2021 | 15 December 2023 |
 Cameroon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 November 2021 | 7 November 2021 |
 Eswatini | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 December 2022 | 5 December 2022 |
| Gambia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 December 2022 | 6 December 2022 |
| Ghana | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 December 2022 | 5 December 2022 |
 Kenya | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 December 2023 | |
 Mali | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 December 2023 | 9 December 2023 |
 Mozambique | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 November 2021 | 5 November 2021 |
| Nigeria | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 19 October 2021 | 19 October 2021 |
 Rwanda | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 October 2023 | 10 October 2023 |
 Tanzania | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 November 2021 | |
- "Ireland and Afghanistan ICC newest full members amid wide-ranging governance reform". International Cricket Council. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "ICC Rankings". International Cricket Council.
- "Sierra Leone Cricket Association". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "T20I matches - Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
- "T20I matches - 2024 Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
- "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Miscellaneous matches played by Sierra Leone". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Sierra Leone's cricketing dreams". Al Jazeera. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
- "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / High scores". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / Best bowling figures". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2023.