Nickname(s) | Black Batters [1] | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Ghana Cricket Association | |||||||||
Personnel | ||||||||||
Captain | Samson Awiah | |||||||||
International Cricket Council | ||||||||||
ICC status | Associate member [2] (2017) | |||||||||
ICC region | Africa | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
International cricket | ||||||||||
First international | Gold Coast v. Lagos Colony (Lagos, 25 May 1904) | |||||||||
Twenty20 Internationals | ||||||||||
First T20I | v Namibia at Kyambogo Cricket Oval, Kampala; 20 May 2019 | |||||||||
Last T20I | v Mali at Gymkhana Club Ground, Dar es Salaam; 26 September 2024 | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
As of 26 September 2024 |
The Ghana national cricket team represents Ghana in men's international cricket. It is an associate member [2] of the International Cricket Council, which it joined as an affiliate member in 2002, and mainly plays matches in Africa Cricket Association tournaments. [6] Ghana Cricket Association promotes the sport in the country. [7]
A team representing the British Gold Coast played its first recorded match in 1904, and international matches from 1907. Known as Ghana after independence in 1957, until recent times the majority of the team's matches came against other West African teams, and occasionally against touring English teams. In 1976, Ghana joined the West Africa Cricket Council, with Ghanaian players representing the West African cricket team in international tournaments.
Following the breakup of the council, the Ghana Cricket Association gained affiliate membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2002, with the national side making its debut at an ICC tournament in 2004. The first ICC tournament for the team was in Division Three of 2006 World Cricket League Africa Region, where it finished in the third place. The team won the Division Three of 2008 World Cricket League Africa Region by defeating Swaziland in the final. [7]
CricketArchive records a team representing the Gold Coast, a British colony, as having played its first match in May 1904, against Lagos Colony (in present-day Nigeria). Similar fixtures were played in the following two seasons, with the venue alternating between Lagos and Accra. A team representing the Southern Nigeria Protectorate toured in April 1907. Similar matches were played again in 1911, 1912, and 1913, with the host alternating each year. [8] Although the sport had been introduced by British settlers, representative teams were multiracial from an early stage – the 1912 Gold Coast–Southern Nigeria fixture, the only pre-war match for which a scorecard is available, featured names like Otoo, Sagoe, Agbokpo, and Akufo (for Gold Coast), and Layode and Oseni (for Southern Nigeria). Gold Coast's Otoo took six wickets in Southern Nigeria's second innings, helping Gold Coast to an innings victory. [9] However, European-only matches were introduced around the same time, beginning in 1906 and ending only in 1956, the year before Ghanaian independence. [10] The Gold Coast's leading run-scorer in the inaugural European-only fixture was Gordon Guggisberg, who had earlier played a single first-class match (and was later Governor of the Gold Coast, from 1919 to 1927). [11] [12]
After a long gap, inter-colonial matches resumed in April 1926, when the Gold Coast played the Nigerian national team in Lagos. Gold Coast–Nigeria fixtures, both multiracial and European-only, were played almost annually from 1926 to 1939, and resumed again after World War II. [8] In several years the European-only fixtures were played in provincial cities like Kumasi and Ibadan, although multiracial games were played only in the capitals. [10] Gold Coast sides were occasionally bolstered by players of first-class standard – for instance, Cecil Pullan (Oxford University and Worcestershire) and Michael Green (Gloucestershire and Essex) appeared together in a 1937 match, [13] with Pullan appearing again after the war. [14] [15] The national side played its first match as "Ghana" less than a month after Kwame Nkrumah's independence declaration in March 1957, with annual Ghana–Nigeria matches occurring until 1964. [16]
A Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) side toured West Africa during the 1975–76 season, and played two matches at Accra's Achimota School in January 1976 – one against an Accra side and one against the Ghanaian national side. [17] The West Africa Cricket Council was formed later in 1976, with The Gambia and Sierra Leone joining Ghana and Nigeria as members. Consequently, with the exception of the quadrangular West African Championships, first held in 1976, [18] Ghanaian cricketers played international matches only for the combined West African team, which made its international debut at the 1982 ICC Trophy. [19] The West African side at the 1997 ICC Trophy was captained by Edinam Nutsugah, a Ghanaian. [20] At that tournament, another Ghanaian, Daniel Vanderpuje-Orgle, took 5/31 against Israel, one of only four five-wicket hauls at the tournament. [21] [22] However, the West Africa Cricket Council lost significance in 2000, when Nigeria applied for separate membership of the ICC. [23] The council was disbanded in 2003, with its members having become ICC members the previous year – Gambia, Ghana, and Sierra Leone were made affiliate members, and Nigeria an associate member. [24]
A 2000 CricInfo article noted that cricket in Ghana was then confined to the south of the country, played only in the capital and the cities of Kumasi and Obuasi. It was also said to be particularly popular amongst the expatriate British and Indian populations, with the main club league featuring two Indian teams out of four total. [25] Ghana played its first ICC tournament in March 2004, defeating Malawi in a play-off to finish third (of eight teams) in the Africa Affiliates Tournament. That tournament was part of the qualification process for the 2007 World Cup. [26] The inaugural edition of the World Cricket League commenced in 2007, preceded by various regional qualifying tournaments. At the 2006 Africa Division Three qualifier, Ghana placed third behind Mozambique and Sierra Leone, again defeating Malawi in a third-place playoff. [27] The playoff was noted for the performance of Ghanaian player Peter Ananya (a future national captain), who took 7/25 to bowl Malawi out for 41. [28]
Ghana won the 2008 Africa Division Three tournament by defeating Swaziland in the final, having earlier bowled Rwanda out for 23 in their semi-final. [29] [30] They were subsequently promoted to the 2008 Africa Division Two tournament, but could only place fifth from six teams. [31] This was enough, however, for Ghana to maintain its place for the 2010 Division Two event. At that tournament, they placed second to Zambia, securing entry to the 2012 Global Division Eight tournament. [32] The only African side at the eight-team tournament, played in Samoa, Ghana lost only two matches, both to Vanuatu, placing runner-up and qualifying for the 2013 Global Division Seven event. Three of the six sides there were African, the others being Nigeria and Botswana, the hosts. Ghana won only two matches, both against Germany, and were relegated back to the regional tournaments system. [33]
In international Twenty20 cricket, Ghana played its first tournaments in 2011, finishing runner-up to Nigeria in the 2011 Africa Division Two Twenty20 tournament and then fifth in 2011 Division One, both part of qualification for the 2012 World Twenty20. [34] [35] Earlier in the year, Ghana had hosted the Africa Division Three Twenty20, its first time hosting a senior ICC tournament. Ghana placed fourth at the 2012 Africa Division Two Twenty20, failing to qualify for the following year's Division One event. However, they went on to win the 2014 Division Two Twenty20, defeating Zambia on net run rate, and consequently progressing to the 2015 Africa Twenty20 Championship. [36] There, Ghana defeated Tanzania, Botswana, and Uganda (for the first time), finishing fourth behind Uganda on net run rate. Against Uganda (a previous winner of the tournament), Ghana had made only 74/9 from its 20 overs, but managed to bowl Uganda out for 69. [37]
In August 2018, they were included in the 2018 Africa T20 Cup tournament. [38] [39] However, Ghana declined Cricket South Africa's invite to compete in the tournament, and were replaced by Uganda. [40]
In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. All Twenty20 matches played between Ghana and other ICC members after 1 January 2019 had the full T20I status. [41] Ghana's first T20I match was against Namibia on 20 May 2019, after finishing top of the North-Western sub-region qualification group, advancing to the Regional Final of the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier tournament. [42]
v | ||
In 2021 Ghana 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. [43]
This lists all the players who have played for Ghana in the past 12 months or has been part of the latest T20I squad.
Name | Age | Batting style | Bowling style | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Batters | ||||
Kevin Awala | 25 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
Alex Osei | 25 | Right-handed | ||
James Vifah | 34 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Devender Singh | 33 | Right-handed | ||
All-rounders | ||||
Rexford Bakum | 25 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Obed Harvey | 34 | Left-handed | Left-arm medium | Captain |
Samson Awiah | 25 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
Richmond Baaleri | 22 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
Philip Yevugah | 24 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Wicket-keepers | ||||
Joseph Theodore | 24 | Right-handed | ||
Spin Bowlers | ||||
Michael Aboagye | 22 | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | |
Pace Bowlers | ||||
Godfred Bakiweyem | 25 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Kofi Bagabena | 35 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Daniel Anefie | 24 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Syed Aqeel Israr | 36 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
Lee Nyarko | 16 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Updated as of 20 March 2024
International Match Summary — Ghana [44]
Last updated 26 September 2024
Playing Record | ||||||
Format | M | W | L | T | NR | Inaugural Match |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Twenty20 Internationals | 47 | 20 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 20 May 2019 |
Most T20I runs for Ghana [48]
| Most T20I wickets for Ghana [49]
|
T20I record versus other nations [44]
Records complete to T20I #2866. Last updated 26 September 2024.
Opponent | M | W | L | T | NR | First match | First win |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
vs Associate Members | |||||||
Botswana | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 September 2022 | |
Cameroon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 December 2022 | 6 December 2022 |
Eswatini | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 October 2021 | 20 October 2021 |
Gambia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 December 2022 | 8 December 2022 |
Kenya | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 21 May 2019 | |
Lesotho | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 October 2021 | 17 October 2021 |
Mali | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 September 2024 | 26 September 2024 |
Malawi | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 October 2021 | 19 October 2021 |
Mozambique | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 September 2022 | 16 September 2022 |
Namibia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 May 2019 | |
Nigeria | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 22 May 2019 | |
Rwanda | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 18 August 2021 | 18 August 2021 |
Seychelles | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 October 2021 | 16 October 2021 |
Sierra Leone | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 December 2022 | 4 October 2023 |
Tanzania | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 December 2022 | |
Uganda | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 23 May 2019 |
For a list of selected international matches played by Ghana, see Cricket Archive.
The Oman men's national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Oman in international matches and is governed by Oman Cricket, which became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2000, and gained associate status in 2014. The national side has played matches at the Twenty20 International level. On 24 April 2019, Oman achieved One-Day International status for the first time until 2023, after they beat tournament hosts Namibia by four wickets in 2019 ICC World Cricket League Division Two.
The Papua New Guinea men's national cricket team, nicknamed the Barramundis, is the team that represents the country of Papua New Guinea in international cricket. The team is organised by Cricket PNG, which has been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1973. Papua New Guinea previously had One-Day International (ODI) status, which it gained by finishing fourth in 2014 World Cup Qualifier. Papua New Guinea lost both their ODI and T20I status in March 2018 after losing a playoff match against Nepal during the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, a result that earned ODI and T20I status for their opponents. On 26 April 2019, Papua New Guinea defeated Oman to secure a top-four finish in the 2019 ICC World Cricket League Division Two and reclaim their ODI status.
The Botswana national cricket team is the men's team that represents Botswana in international cricket. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 2005, after previously being an affiliate member since 2001 and an associate member in 2017. They are in Division Five of the World Cricket League and are ranked at joint 29th in the world by the International Cricket Council (ICC). They are the 5th-highest ranked non-Test team in the African region. The team's coach is former Kenyan ODI player Joseph Angara, who was appointed in July 2015.
The Kuwait national cricket team is the team that represents Kuwait in international cricket. The team is organised by Cricket Kuwait, which has been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2005, having previously been an affiliate member since 1998. Kuwait made its international debut in 1979, but has only played regularly at international level since the early 2000s, appearing regularly in Asian Cricket Council tournaments since then. Beginning in the early 2010s, the side appeared in several World Cricket League events, although it was relegated back to regional level after the 2013 Division Six tournament.
The Nigeria national cricket team is the men's team that represents the country of Nigeria in international cricket. Cricket has been played in Nigeria since the late 19th century, and the national team played their first match in 1904, when a team representing the Lagos Colony played the Gold Coast Colony. The Nigeria Cricket Association has been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2002.
The Tanzania national cricket team is the men's team that represents Tanzania in international cricket. Cricket has been played in what is now Tanzania since 1890, and the national side first played in 1951. The Tanzania Cricket Association became an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001, having previously been part of the East and Central Africa Cricket Conference, which was a member of the ICC in its own right.
A Twenty20 International (T20I) is a form of cricket, played between international members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), where each team faces a maximum of twenty overs. These matches hold top-class status and are the highest T20 standard. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket. Starting from the format's inception in 2005, T20I status only applied to Full Members and some Associate Member teams. However, in April 2018, the ICC announced that it would grant T20I status to all its 105 members from 1 January 2019.
The Gambia national cricket team is the team that represents The Gambia in international cricket. They became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2002 and an associate member in 2017.
The Guernsey cricket team is the team that represents the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency in international cricket. They became a member in 2005 and an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2008.
The Mozambique national cricket team is the men's team that represents Mozambique in international cricket. The team is administered by the Mozambican Cricket Association which became an affiliate member of International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2003, and an associate member in 2017. Mozambique is also a member of the Africa Cricket Association. The Mozambique national cricket team has competed in the World Cricket League Africa Region, Cricket World Cup and the ICC Africa Twenty20 Championship.
The Rwandan national cricket team is the team that represents Rwanda in international cricket. They became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2003 and an associate member in 2017.
The Qatar national cricket team is the team that represents Qatar in international cricket. The team is organised by the Qatar Cricket Association, which became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1999 and an associate member in 2017.
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 and an associate member in 2017.
The Eswatini national cricket team represents Eswatini, a country in Southern Africa, in international cricket. The Eswatini national cricket team, which is administered by the Eswatini Cricket Association (ECA), became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2007. The ECA, along with the cricket associations of Cameroon, the Falkland Islands and Peru, was promoted to affiliate status in 2007 by the ICC. In 2017, they became associate members. Eswatini is also a member of the African Cricket Association. The Eswatini national cricket team would compete in the World Cricket League Africa Region and the ICC Africa Twenty20 Championship.
The Namibia men's national cricket team, nicknamed the Eagles, is the men's team that represents the Republic of Namibia in international cricket. It is organised by Cricket Namibia, which became an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1992.
Ademola Onikoyi is a Nigerian cricketer. He played in the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Six tournament. In April 2018, he was named the man of the match in Nigeria's second match of the 2018 ICC World Twenty20 African Sub Regional Qualifier tournament.
The Nigeria women's national cricket team represents the country of Nigeria in international women's cricket. The team is organised by the Nigeria Cricket Federation, which has been a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2002.
Simon Ateak is a Ghanaian cricketer, who plays for the national team. He was part of Ghana's squad for the 2017 ICC World Cricket League Division Five tournament in South Africa. He played in Ghana's opening fixture, against Germany, on 3 September 2017.
Isaac Aboagye is a Ghanaian cricketer. He was named in Ghana's squad for the 2017 ICC World Cricket League Division Five tournament in South Africa. He played in Ghana's opening fixture, against Germany, on 3 September 2017.
The Gambia national women's cricket team is the team that represents The Gambia in international women's cricket. The team has played international cricket since 2015 and made its Twenty20 International (T20I) debut at the 2022 Nigeria Invitational Women's T20I Tournament.