Friends of Kenya Cricket is an independent non-profit making organisation launched in 2004 seeking to raise the profile of Kenyan Cricket worldwide by providing financial and skilled assistance to Kenyan cricket at all levels, in readiness for Kenya to achieve Test status.

We are accredited as the Official Supporters of Kenya Cricket in the UK by the Kenya Cricket Association.

Background
Until Kenya becomes a test-playing nation, it will not fully partake from the International ‘pot’. In spite of doing so well in the last World Cup, it does not enjoy sufficient financial support to help develop local cricket. To become a test-playing nation, it needs a strong cricketing infrastructure. The development of grounds, umpires, scorers, facilities for spectators at grounds and the development of youth and women’s cricket – all need financing. Hence a ‘chicken-and-egg’ situation.

History
In 1999, Kenya played against some of the Lancashire League clubs in their warm up matches before the World Cup in England, thanks entirely to the efforts of Surinder Biant of Rochdale, the local Metropolitan Borough Council raised all the money necessary to finance Kenya’s nine-day cricket programme. The idea that Kenya needed Friends overseas like him took root. Harilal Shah, the manager of the team at the time, carried this forward and Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) stalwarts Jimmy Rayani and Jasmer Singh supported the idea of forming a body called Friends of Kenya Cricket, to be set up in cricket playing countries around the world.

Launch
Amongst the hundred-strong guests at the function were Kenyan sporting legends from the hockey and cricket teams, Indian Cricket Legend Farukh Engineer, members of the Kenya cricket team Hitesh Modi and Abeed Janmohammed, Mrs. Perez Ochieng of Sahara Communities Abroad and a host of prominent East African businessmen in the UK. The launch was fully sponsored by Kenyan-born brothers Gulu and Kewal Anand of the award-winning Brilliant Restaurant in London and was supported by SONY Entertainment Television Asia who filmed the event and broadcasted the launch worldwide. Click here for more