Cricket on the up everywhere

KUCHING: Cricket may be a relative newcomer to Malaysia’s sporting landscape compared to football, but its growth is undeniable, said Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Hosting next January’s Malaysian Women’s T20 World Cup cricket tournament will be a game-changer for the sport in Sarawak, he said.

“The Sarawak Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) will actively engage with schools to introduce cricket to students, with the hope of generating broader support,” Abdul Karim told a press conference for the International Cricket Council (ICC) U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Malaysia 2025 at the SUKMA Media Centre, Petra Jaya, today (Aug 18).

To prepare for the upcoming women’s tournament, the government, through MYSED, will be upgrading cricket grounds across the state.

“Facilities such as toilets, changing rooms, and public galleries for spectators will be improved or built from scratch where necessary,” he added.

The cricket tournament will kick off on January 18 at the Borneo Cricket Ground, featuring teams from Samoa, South Africa, New Zealand, and an African nation.

Also present were Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Datuk Sherrina Hussaini, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Morshidi Fredrick, Malaysian Cricket president Mohamad Iqbal Ali Kassim Ali, and ICC associate director Mahinda Vallipuram.