By Faith Hope Munezero
ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP AFRICA FINAL
TOURNAMENT ITINERARY
17 May 2019: Teams Arrival
18 May 2019: Official Practice, Captains Trophy Shoot & Tournament Meeting
TOURNAMENT FIXTURES
19 May 2019: Namibia vs. Botswana 9.30am, Lugogo
19 May 2019: Nigeria vs. Ghana 9.30am, Kyambogo
19 May 2019: Uganda vs. Kenya 1.50pm, Lugogo
20 May 2019: Ghana vs. Namibia 9.30am, Lugogo
20 May 2019: Kenya vs. Nigeria 9.30am, Kyambogo
20 May 2019: Uganda vs. Botswana 1.50pm, Lugogo
21 May 2019: Kenya vs. Ghana 9.30am, Lugogo
21 May 2019: Namibia vs. Uganda 9.30am, Kyambogo
21 May 2019: Botswana vs. Nigeria 1.50pm, Lugogo
22 May 2019: Reserve day
23 May 2019: Nigeria vs. Namibia 9.30am, Lugogo
23 May 2019: Botswana vs. Kenya 9.30am, Kyambogo
23 May 2019: Uganda vs. Ghana 1.50pm, Lugogo
24 May 2019: Namibia vs. Kenya 9.30am, Lugogo
24 May 2019: Ghana vs. Botswana 9.30am, Kyambogo
24 May 2019: Nigeria vs. Uganda 1.50pm, Lugogo
25 May 2019: Teams Departure
*Top two teams will qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019
When Uganda hosted International Cricket Council (ICC) Division III World Cricket League (WCL) in May 2017, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) got an outstanding review for the work done although the national team – The Cricket Cranes didn’t fare well on the oval.
And when ICC Development Manager for Africa Patricia Kambarami announced, in October 2018, that Uganda would host the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup Africa Final from May 17-25, it didn’t entirely come as a surprise. There was also no panic within the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) as they had in a place a tried and tested team in place after the ‘trial run’ in 2017.
UCA looked no further than Paul Kaheru, to chair the LOC after his stellar stint in 2017. Kaheru, too, didn’t try to get too clever by appointing only three new committee heads on his 11-man team that has no option but to scale their heights.
“I'm privileged to have been given the honour to lead the LOC as I did when we hosted the WCL Div III a few years ago,” said Kaheru during the press briefing held to unveil the LOC and fixtures schedule at Lugogo Cricket Ground yesterday.
“The team is almost the same and I trust that we will deliver an even better tournament than we did back then. Our wish is that we have bigger crowds as we intend to provide a great atmosphere at all the games. We are more than ready for Africa.”
Kaheru, who will be assisted by the hosting UCA CEO Martin Ondeko, in a Tournament Coordinator role said that ICC had funded the tournament to a tune of $180,000 (Shs672m) with UCA expected to supplement the budget with an anticipated $50,000 (Shs186m) from their partners.
This is the third time Uganda will be hosting this event since 2011 and Ondeko believes it will help Uganda market and promote the gentleman’s game to a bigger corporate crowd.
Fully fledged committee
The other nine members of the committee include; Cissy Musiime (security), Dr Dennis Buwembo (medical), Innocent Ndawula (media and communications), Alvin Bagaya (accommodation), Rita Tinka (catering), Grace Mutyagaba (domestic transport), Denis Musali (liaison), Hanumant Katkar (stadia) and Kenneth Mulondo for accreditation.
Musiime disclosed that Uganda Police and other security agencies would be used for event whereas Dr Buwembo confirmed that Case Hospital will be used for all medical services.
Ndawula announced that registration for media accreditation was open, Bagaya disclosed that Kabira Country Club was the official tournament hotel and Tinka said that service providers were still undergoing venting ahead of the tourney.
Mutyagaba confirmed that Koolian Executive Company will provide transport for all officials and players, Musali revealed that Uganda will use 50 volunteers throughout the cricket fest, Katkar revealed that works were undergoing to make Lugogo and Kyambogo Oval better whereas Kenneth Mulondo stated the strict guidelines for all parties and no-go areas especially for the fans and media.
Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo, the National Council of Sports (NCS) Corporate Affairs Officer, assured the cricket fraternity that government's arm to overseeing sports development in the country would support the tournament by ensuring the grounds are free of any other activity and also logistically as they have done in recent times when Ugandan teams have traveled for international engagements.
The released event schedule shows that the tournament will have 15 games featuring six nations; Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria and host nation Uganda; on a one-round robin basis in five-match days with one rest/reserve day. The Cricket Cranes start their campaign with a tough one against Kenya in an encounter fondly referred to as ‘Migingo Derby’. Steve Tikolo’s boys will be under pressure to get one over their eternity foes.
The top two nations will progress to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 11 to November 3, 2019.
