Thursday 29 / August / 2024
MUSCAT: On Tuesday, Oman was one of the six nations to be crowned global winners of the prestigious ICC Development Awards. The other nations awarded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) were Mexico, the Netherlands, UAE, Nepal, and Scotland.
The awards acknowledge the world-leading programmes delivered by ICC Members to grow the game, and Oman won the 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year Award.
The six global winners were selected by an esteemed panel from a shortlist of regional awardees spanning 21 emerging nations.The ICC acknowledged Oman Cricket’s groundbreaking initiatives and outstanding performances during the last calendar year.
Launched in 2002, the ICC Development Awards spotlight the world-leading work being carried out in ICC Associate Member countries to grow the game globally, whether through innovative development programmes or inspiring efforts on the field of play.
Oman Cricket's (OC) women’s cricket initiative came through its Cricket4Her programme, which provides unique participation opportunities for women and girls and a valuable pathway to competitive cricket.
Oman’s Cricket4Her project aims to redefine the landscape of women's cricket in the country by cultivating an environment that encourages talent development, skill enhancement, and the empowerment of women cricketers.
The programme has already had a significant impact in the country through regular school sessions and both softball and hardball cricket tournaments. 16 teams participated in softball tournaments, and 9 teams have transitioned to playing competitive hardball cricket league, providing not only a unique platform for participation but also a valuable pathway for young women and girls to competitive cricket.
Speaking after the ICC announcement, Oman Cricket Chairman Pankaj Khimji said: “We are elated by this achievement. We would like to thank the ICC for this recognition. It will put us on a pedestal from which we can take women’s cricket to greater heights. “It goes without saying that if the coaches and the team behind the initiative did not have the passion and commitment to make it happen, we would not have been able to attract these female cricketers, let alone make them stay, embrace the game and go on to play tournaments.”
“We hope to take this to the next level by adding more schools, colleges, and girls from local communities. Harnessing the family factor into cricket will be the major success factor for cricket in Oman.”
ICC General Manager – Development William Glenwright said: “The ICC Development Awards has a long-standing history of recognising the groundbreaking work being done by ICC Members to grow the game in emerging nations. “Each year, this project highlights some inspiring and remarkable stories, and this year is no exception, with passion and innovation at the forefront of these successful initiatives. As well as delivering on the objectives outlined in the ICC’s Global Strategy, it is always heartening to be reminded that our sport has the power to drive positive social change, and these projects are a testament to that. It’s a time for us to reflect on the contribution of so many – particularly the volunteers – who are working so hard to make cricket more accessible to millions worldwide."
“We are delighted to unveil the list of 2023 global winners, and alongside the regional winners announced earlier in the year, we wish to congratulate everyone on their success. We look forward to seeing these programmes continue to flourish in 2024 and beyond.”
This year’s winners were identified from a long list of regional awardees announced back in May and were determined by an esteemed panel comprising ICC Full Member executives, former international cricketers, and ICC global partners.
The ICC Development Awards Panel included Diana Puketapu-Lyndon (Chair of New Zealand Cricket), Julia Price (ICC Master Educator), Leshia Hawkins (Managing Director, Recreation Game at England and Wales Cricket Board), Sarah Fane (Director at MCC Foundation), Johnny Grave (CEO of Cricket West Indies), Shakera Selman (former West Indies international cricketer), Pholetsi Moseki (CEO of Cricket South Africa), Ed Rainsford (former Zimbabwe international cricketer and broadcaster), Mirwaiz Ashraf (CEO at Afghanistan Cricket Board), Mona Parthsarathi (Press Trust of India), Cynthia McCaffrey (UNICEF India Representative) and Arnab Roy (VP and Head of Marketing at Coca Cola India and South-West Asia).
Mexico Cricket Association was awarded the ICC Development Initiative of the Year prize for pioneering projects, including sending a team to the Street Child World Cup in India, and for its unique Cricket in Prisons programme, in which it delivers cricket sessions in prisons across Mexico City to enhance the rehabilitation and transformation of inmates.
The ICC Associate Member Men’s Performance of the Year prize was awarded to the Netherlands for their heroic efforts in qualifying and competing at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India. The UAE won the Associate Member Women’s Performance of the Year award after an impressive unbeaten spell that saw them triumph at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Asia Qualifier in Malaysia.
Rounding off the winners were the Cricket Association of Nepal, who clinched the ICC Digital Fan Engagement Initiative of the Year following substantial growth on their social channels, and Cricket Scotland, who were victorious in the Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year category, honouring their groundbreaking partnership with Breaking Boundaries, a local Scottish charity, to transform the lives of young, disadvantaged and underrepresented people in the country.
