3-mob.com 
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC)’s grassroots development initiative, Cricket Kumusha-Cricket Ekhaya, has recorded significant success, training a total of 550 participants across the country between May 2025 and April this year as part of efforts to decentralise and grow the game in rural communities.
The programme has made notable strides in equipping teachers, community leaders, security sector members and club representatives with essential cricket skills, creating a sustainable pipeline for talent identification and development.
Of the 550 participants trained, 468 took part in courses conducted throughout 2025, while a further 82 were trained in the first quarter of 2026.
The programme covered multiple disciplines, including Basic Coaching, Level 1 Coaching, Grade D Umpiring and Scoring.
Basic Coaching courses accounted for the majority of participants, reflecting the programme’s strong emphasis on introducing cricket at grassroots level.
These courses were held across provinces including Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland South and Harare Metropolitan, with notable attendance figures such as 56 participants at Gateway College and 41 at Ncema Cricket Ground.
Level 1 Coaching courses attracted 14 participants, while Grade D Umpiring courses trained 52 participants across different centres.
Grade D Scoring courses accounted for 18 participants, further strengthening match officiating capacity at community level.
ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni said the programme’s impact goes beyond numbers, highlighting its role in empowering local communities to take ownership of cricket development.
“The main objective of Cricket Kumusha-Cricket Ekhaya is to decentralise cricket development by equipping local people with the skills to introduce and sustain the game in their own communities,” he said.
“We are now seeing teachers starting school teams, districts organising competitions and institutions embracing cricket as part of their sporting culture.”
The programme has successfully partnered with key stakeholders including the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Zimbabwe National Army and teacher training colleges such as Morgan Zintec and Gateway College.
Makoni said ZC is encouraged by the progress and is committed to scaling up the initiative.
“Cricket Kumusha-Cricket Ekhaya is central to our vision of making cricket a truly national sport that is accessible to every Zimbabwean, regardless of location or background,” he said.
“We are now focused on expanding the programme by increasing the number of coaching and umpiring courses, strengthening talent identification systems and ensuring that both boys and girls across all age groups have opportunities to participate.”
Future plans for the programme include scaling training in underserved rural areas, integrating cricket into more schools through teacher development and building stronger pathways from community cricket to provincial and national teams.
“Our goal is simple,” Makoni said. “Every community – every kumusha – should have access to cricket, with trained local leaders who can nurture the next generation of players.”
