By Chisomo Phiri
Cricket Malawi (CM) and the Malawi Schools Sports Association (MASSA) on Tuesday signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at expanding and strengthening cricket development programmes for both boys and girls in schools across the country.
The agreement, signed in Blantyre, is expected to enhance talent identification, improve youth development structures, and better integrate cricket into school-level competitions and national youth tournaments.
Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony, CM President Vivek Ganesan said the partnership will help establish clear development pathways from school cricket to national age-group teams, while also promoting the sport within Malawi’s education system.
He added that cricket will be used as a tool not only for sporting excellence but also for education support, school retention, and the development of life skills such as discipline, teamwork, and leadership.
He further emphasized the importance of safeguarding children and maintaining fair play standards in all programmes.
On his part, MASSA President Blackson Malamula said the collaboration is crucial in addressing challenges such as age-cheating in school sports, noting that the partnership will strengthen joint monitoring and verification processes in cricket competitions.
He also said the MoU will help identify schools and regional zones with strong potential for cricket development, ensuring structured growth of the sport at grassroots level.
In her remarks Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) sports and recreation administrator Bertha Liphava welcomed the partnership but urged both institutions to focus on effective implementation.
She said while the agreement is a positive step, its success will depend on how well the programmes are executed on the ground to benefit learners and schools across the country.
