A Pioneer’s Final Innings
On 13th September 2025, at Lugogo Cricket Oval, Naomi Kayondo Bagenda played her last match, ending a 23-year career that reshaped women’s cricket in Uganda.
At 35, the celebrated batter, captain, and mentor retired, leaving a legacy that inspired a guard of Honour and tributes from the fraternity.
“It’s emotional. For 23 years, Saturdays meant waking up and going to the cricket ground. Now it will be different. But I’m not leaving cricket, I’m giving back to it,” Kayondo shared.
From Prodigy to Pillar
Born on May 15, 1990, in Kampala, Naomi Kayondo grew up in a cricket-loving family, with her father, Dr. Edward Kayondo, supporting her and her brother, Hamu, a men’s national team player.
In 2002, as a Senior One student at King’s College Budo, she debuted at the inaugural Girls' Schools Cricket Week, earning the “Youngest Player” title. At 12, she became Uganda’s youngest-ever national team debutant, a record still unbroken.
“Joining the national team at such an age, Naomi showed rare calm but also a hunger to learn and compete,” a former coach recalled.
Domestic Career
Kayondo’s domestic career was remarkable, playing for clubs like Wanderers CC, Tornado B, Soroti Challengers and Bujjagali Rafters.
Across 90 matches, she scored 1535 runs and took 20 wickets, with 1305 runs in T20S at a strike rate of 88, including five half-centuries.
Her final 2025 season saw her named Best Batter in the Women’s T20 League, cementing her status.
Shining on the Global Stage
Kayondo’s international career elevated Uganda’s Victoria Pearls. She was instrumental in their 2017 ICC Women’s Africa Qualifier win in Namibia, defeating Zimbabwe in a tense final to reach global qualifiers.
“We were not favourites as teams like Namibia and Zimbabwe were rated ahead of us, but we had suffered for so long and perhaps this was our moment as a side,” she reflected.
Her T20I debut came in 2019 against Kenya, and she played until 2022 against Namibia. Her 2018 stint in England, playing for Nottingham Trent University Sport CC and at Lord’s, was pivotal.
“Cricket teaches you resilience, teamwork, and even how to lose with dignity,” she said.
A Leader and Mentor
As captain for five years, Kayondo guided the Victoria Pearls through key transitions.
“Naomi set a standard we all aspired to. More than her runs, it was her leadership—on hard days and on great days—that made her different,” said teammate Kevin Awino.
Her candid analysis, like after a 2019 loss to Namibia - “We lost it in the first innings. We did not field very well, we dropped a couple of catches… The top order left a big chunk for the tail end,”—set a culture of growth.
Off the field, she served as assistant coach for the U-19 team, manager for the U-23 side, and President of the Rotaract Club of Kampala Ssese Islands.
Shaping the Future
Kayondo’s next chapter is already underway. With ICC coaching and management certifications, she’s a commentator and mentor.
“The next chapter for me is about shaping the next generation. I had my time as a player, now my job is to make sure the players after me get more opportunities, more training, and more respect for women’s cricket than we ever dreamt possible,” she said.
A Lasting Legacy
Kayondo’s career - 183 T20I runs, 1535 runs in domestic cricket, and historic firsts like playing club cricket overseas for women - transformed Ugandan cricket.
Her advocacy and charisma turned women’s cricket into a source of national pride, also inspiring countless girls through her own cricket academy - Little Stumps - focused on player development.
Her legacy lives in every young cricketer stepping onto the pitch, carrying forward the torch of a true pioneer.
