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News Analysis: Kenya's absence at 2015 Cricket World Cup palpable

Xinhua, February 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

During a time like now, the cricket fraternity in Kenya would be on tenterhooks as they cheered their national team during the ICC World Cup.

The 2015 global event that is being co-hosted Australia and New Zealand is being played without the East African nation participating for the first time since 1996, when the country qualified on merit for the prestigious and thereafter featured at the event five times.

That was the first time Kenya took part in the tournament which was held in India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka, a feat that was made possible after the country qualified by being runner-up at the ICC Associate Trophy played in Kenya in 1994 where 20 teams participated out of which three teams were to qualify.

The United Arab Emirates won the tournament after beating Kenya in the finals.

The 2015 event is the 11th tournament since the first World Cup played in England in 1975 exposed the Kenyan team when they played as the East Africa cricket team where Kenyan players were predominantly featured.

Kenya's pinnacle performance was at the world stage was at the World Cup 2003, held for the first time in Africa; South Africa/Zimbabwe/Kenya during which the country reached the semi-finals after they beat three Test-playing nations - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

"The performance of the team has of late been poor and wanting. Deep scrutiny reveals that Kenyan cricket has no depth or a bright future due to incompetence and problems stretching from the administration to the playing situation and structure," former Kenyan national team captain, Aasif Karim told Xinhua on Sunday.

Kenya has since been relegated to the Associate level and currently plays in the lower division alongside teams like Namibia, Netherlands, Canada, Nepal and Uganda; teams that Kenya would not dare touch with a six-foot pole at the height of their zenith.

Karim said that with the poor cricket structure in the country coupled with an impractical administration, the game is headed further down to Affiliate stage where a time will come when the country will be playing against the lowest. Endi