On Friday, May 16, 2025 The triumphant Sierra Leone Women’s Cricket Team, fresh from winning gold at the prestigious Kalahari Women’s T20 Tournament in Gaborone, Botswana, paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, at his Signal Hill Road office.
The team, led by Cricket Sierra Leone (CSL) Board Chairman Francis Trevor and including Head Coach Sinneh Kamara and CSL’s Foreign Cricket Consultant John Capps-Jenner, formally presented the gold trophy to the NSA boss. Their victory, coupled with several individual accolades, marks a milestone for Sierra Leonean sports on the international stage.
Commending the players, Dr. Abdulai described cricket as “the sporting discipline that has brought home the highest forms of laurels to Sierra Leone.” He praised the team’s performance and acknowledged the role of the CSL in the sport’s development.
“This is no small achievement,” Dr. Abdulai said. “At this level, it is undeniable that what cricket has done is exceptional. You deserve support.”
He reflected on his 14-month tenure at the NSA, emphasizing a commitment to promoting all thriving sports disciplines. “The government wants to create jobs, so we are looking at crowded sports,” he noted, revealing that cricket is among the top ten national leagues that will receive support from the NSA this year.
Dr. Abdulai outlined a vision of sport as a profession, not a voluntary endeavor. “At the professional level, players should be paid. This is the same support we’re providing for male and female football premier leagues—where the clubs only pay their players; we take care of the rest,” he explained.
He also touched on challenges in sport governance, acknowledging decades of internal conflict and mistrust between sporting bodies and the NSA. “I believe in good governance and conflict resolution. Leaders should bring people along and encourage dissenting views. Suspicion around financial matters must be addressed openly,” Dr. Abdulai advised CSL officials.
Chairman Francis Trevor Samura, who introduced the delegation, provided insights into Sierra Leone’s cricket development, including President Bio’s land donation for cricket infrastructure and the consistent international achievements of the sport and appealed to the National Sports Authority to support in ensuring that the infrastructure needed for the game is provided.
Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai stressed the importance of decentralizing sports development beyond Freetown. “We need national teams that reflect all regions. That starts with organizing strong local leagues across the provinces Thereby building a solid domestic base.
The meeting marked a significant moment of recognition for Sierra Leonean cricket, with hopes that the victory will serve as a catalyst for further growth and investment in the sport.
NSA Media
