Sierra Leone national cricket team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Sierra Leone women's national cricket team.

Sierra Leone

Flag of Sierra Leone
Association	Sierra Leone Cricket Association
Personnel
Captain	George Edward Ngegba
Coach	Solomon Fatoma
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Associate member[1] (2017) Affiliate member (2002)
ICC region	Africa
ICC Rankings Current[2] Best-ever T20I 67th 54th (2 May 2022)
International cricket
First international	v  Gambia, 1927[3]
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20I	v  Nigeria at University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Lagos; 19 October 2021
Last T20I	v  Eswatini at Nigeria Cricket Federation Oval 2, Abuja; 28 November 2024
T20Is Played Won/Lost Total[4] 38 15/23 (0 ties, 0 no results) This year[5] 0 0/0 (0 ties, 0 no results)
As of 28 November 2024

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^[6] and an associate member in 2017.^[1]

In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Sierra Leone and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have the T20I status.^[7]

History

The history of cricket in Sierra Leone dates back to the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate when it was introduced by the British. In 1887, a Sierra Leone team played a two-day match against a team from the West India Regiments.^[8] International cricket dates from the 1930s when Sierra Leone began to play Gambia. In 1967 the West African Championships were created with former British colonies Nigeria and Ghana also sending teams.^[3] Starting in 1991, the Sierra Leone Civil War caused a decline in cricketing activity, with the country's main ground Kingtom Oval used as a refugee camp.^[9]

Sierra Leone was a member of the West Africa Cricket Council which became a member of the ICC in 1976 and fielded the West Africa cricket team, before being dissolved in 2003. The Sierra Leone Cricket Association became an affiliate member of the ICC in its own right in 2002 and made its debut at an ICC tournament at the 2004 African Affiliates Championship, where they finished last out of the eight teams. They returned at the equivalent tournament in 2006, Division Three of the African region of the World Cricket League, where they showed major improvement, this time finishing as runners-up to Mozambique, and only just missing out on promotion to Division Two.

T20I status (2019-present)

Sierra Leone gained T20I status in 2019 and played their first match against Nigeria in 2021, securing a narrow win.^[10]

19 October 2021 12:00 Scorecard

Nigeria  99 (20 overs)	v	Sierra Leone 100/4 (20 overs)
Isaac Okpe 36 (27) Miniru Kpaka 4/11 (4 overs)		Lansana Lamin 28* (26) Sesan Adedeji 2/14 (2 overs)

Sierra Leone won by 6 wickets University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Lagos Umpires: Kehinde Olanbiwonnu (Nga) Player of the match: Miniru Kpaka (Sle)

• Sierra Leone won the toss and elected to field.

In 2021 Sierra Leone 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.^[11]

Current squad

This lists all the players who have played for Sierra Leone in the past 12 months or has been part of the latest T20I squad. Uncapped players are listed in italics. Updated as of 17 December 2023.

Name	Age	Batting style	Bowling style	Notes
Batters
Lansana Lamin	39	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Alusine Turay	17	Right-handed	Right-arm leg break
Aruna Kainessie	24	Right-handed
Yegbeh Jalloh	24	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Ibrahim Sesay	17	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
All-rounders
George Edward Ngegba	22	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	Captain
Chernoh Bah	22	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Abass Gbla	27	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Miniru Kpaka	22	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Ibrahim Kamara	32	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
John Lassayo	21	Right-handed	Right-arm off break
Wicket-keeper
John Bangura	19	Right-handed
Spin Bowler
Raymond Coker	17	Left-handed	Slow left-arm orthodox
Pace Bowlers
George Sesay	18	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Samuel Conteh	21	Right-handed	Right-arm medium

Records

International Match Summary — Sierra Leone^[12]

Last updated 28 November 2024

Playing Record
Format	M	W	L	T	NR	Inaugural Match
Twenty20 Internationals	38	15	23	0	0	19 October 2021

Twenty20 International

• Highest team total: 189/2 v. Ivory Coast on 23 November 2024 at Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval, Lagos^[13]
• Highest individual score: 78*, Alusine Turay v. Ghana on 17 December 2023 at Willowmoore Park, Benoni^[14]
• Best individual bowling figures: 5/16, Abass Gbla v. Nigeria on 26 October 2021 at University of Lagos Cricket Oval, Lagos^[15]

T20I record versus other nations^[12]

Records complete to T20I #2995. Last updated 28 November 2024.

Opponent	M	W	L	T	NR	First match	First win
vs Associate Members
Botswana	3	1	2	0	0	2 November 2021	15 December 2023
Cameroon	3	3	0	0	0	7 November 2021	7 November 2021
Eswatini	2	2	0	0	0	5 December 2022	5 December 2022
Gambia	1	1	0	0	0	6 December 2022	6 December 2022
Ghana	6	2	4	0	0	5 December 2022	5 December 2022
Ivory Coast	1	1	0	0	0	23 November 2024	23 November 2024
Kenya	2	0	2	0	0	7 December 2023
Mali	1	1	0	0	0	9 December 2023	9 December 2023
Mozambique	2	1	1	0	0	5 November 2021	5 November 2021
Nigeria	11	1	10	0	0	19 October 2021	19 October 2021
Rwanda	3	1	2	0	0	6 October 2023	10 October 2023
Saint Helena	1	1	0	0	0	26 November 2024	26 November 2024
Tanzania	2	0	2	0	0	3 November 2021

See also

• List of Sierra Leone Twenty20 International cricketers
• Sierra Leone women's national cricket team

References

1. "Ireland and Afghanistan ICC newest full members amid wide-ranging governance reform". International Cricket Council. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
2. "ICC Rankings". International Cricket Council.
3. "Sierra Leone Cricket Association". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
4. "T20I matches - Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
5. "T20I matches - 2025 Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
6. Sierra Leone joining date
7. "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
8. "Miscellaneous matches played by Sierra Leone". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
9. "Sierra Leone's cricketing dreams". Al Jazeera. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
10. "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
11. "Nepal, Netherlands gain in annual rankings update". 3 May 2021.
12. "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
13. "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
14. "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / High scores". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
15. "Records / Sierra Leone / Twenty20 Internationals / Best bowling figures". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2023.