African Cricket Teams to Keep an Eye On

Different nations have different preferences when it comes to sports. In North America, American football, ice hockey, and basketball rule supreme, while in the Southern Hemisphere, association football has to share dominance with rugby union. In India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other countries, in turn, cricket is topping any other sport in the fans’ preferences. And it is slowly making an incursion into African countries, too.

Cricket in Africa

Cricket has come to Africa relatively late. The first governing body of the sport on the continent, the Africa Cricket Association, was only established 26 years ago. At the moment, the ACA has 23 national cricket associations among its members, with only two of them having full ICC membership status. As you might expect, these two countries have the longest history with the sport, and the most successful teams in Africa. Today, let’s take a look at some of the African teams worth keeping an eye on. 

Gauteng (South Africa)

Founded in 1890, Gauteng (formerly Transvaal) is among the oldest and most successful South African cricket teams, a mainstay on the cricket betting sites South Africa has to offer its fans. With a history of over a century, Gauteng has collected over two dozen domestic titles in the Currie Cup, the Castle Cup, and the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series, often simply referred to as the SuperSport Series, named after its main sponsor, the SuperSport sports broadcasting channel.

Several Gauteng players also play in the South African national cricket team. Among them, you find players like Temba Bavuma, one of the only three South African players to score a century on their ODI debut, Rassie van der Dussen, who was named International Men’s Newcomer of the Year in 2019, Reeza Hendricks, who also scored a century on his debut, and played with the Jozi Stars in the 2019 Mzansi Super League, and Sisanda Magala, also playing for the Chennai Super Kings.

Mashonaland (Zimbabwe)

If South Africa is a veteran in cricket, neighbouring Zimbabwe is a newcomer. Its local cricket federation, Zimbabwe Cricket, was founded in 1992, becoming only the second governing body in Africa to obtain full membership in the ICC. The country has five major cricket franchises, and Mashonaland is the most successful one of them.

The Mash Eagles was founded in 2009 when Zimbabwe Cricket decided to refresh the first-class, List A, and T20 formats in the country. The team made its debut at the 2009-2010 Logan Cup as its favourites and won. Since then, they pocketed another title, along with three victories in the domestic Twenty20 competition, most recently in the 2022-2023 season. 

Several Mash Eagles players are part of the Chevrons, Zimbabwe’s national team, including left-handed batsmen Craig Ervine and Tadiwanashe Marumani, wicket-keeper Regis Chakabva, and pace bowlers Richard Ngarava and Tanaka Chivanga.

Final words

South Africa and Zimbabwe are Africa’s cricket powerhouses, but the sport is gaining popularity in other African countries as well. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Namibia are all up-and-coming cricket nations. Other countries, like Nigeria and Ghana, are also making an effort to promote cricket among their athletes and fans. But until they emerge, keep an eye on the Mashonaland Eagles from Zimbabwe and the South Africa national cricket team, as their countries’ most successful teams.