With the dust yet to settle on Uganda’s U-19 Boys Team successful qualification campaign to the World Cup in West Indies next year, it is time for the senior men’s team to get their campaign to the 2022 World Cup scheduled for October and November 2022 started.
The Baby Cricket Cranes are still the talk of the town and rightfully so, but the focus must shift to the Cricket Cranes, who bowl off their long but realizable voyage in Kigali at two ovals; the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) in Kicukiro and Gahanga Stadium.
The ultimate goal for coach Laurence Mahatlane’s troops is to grab one of the 15 spots for the right to step onto the Airbus to Australia. It will be decided through a four-step qualifying process.
A total of 86 different teams all start with the dream alive on a global scale. At the regional level, there will be 67 Associate Members taking part, including Uganda. ‘
Due to the depth of strength within Africa and Europe, both regions have sub-regional qualifiers feeding into a final qualifier for the region. Africa, the Americas, East Asia Pacific, and Europe will have one top tier regional qualifier and Asia will have A and B to determine which teams will progress into the two eight-team global qualifiers.
The 16 available spots in the Global Qualifiers will be filled by one team each from Africa and EAP Qualifier respectively. They will be joined by two teams each from the Americas and Europe qualifiers. Finally, Asia which has Qualifiers A and B will see one team from each event make up the eight spots from regional qualification.
For the Cricket Cranes, this they have no shortcut and excuses to make as they must top the Group A ICC Men’s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifier where they start as top seeds and strong favorites.
Team Uganda has been meticulously training in camp for the last two months and will be buoyed by their recent success at the Pearl of Africa Twenty20 Tri-Series against Kenya and Nigeria that saw them rise in the international rankings from 33rd to 29th in the world.
Coach Mahatlane said; “I believe we are in a good space. The boys have worked very hard in preparation. We looking to master the small things and take it one game at a time.”
Captain Brian Masaba is still recovering from the hamstring injury he sustained last month in Entebbe during the POA Tri-Series and understandably sits out this voyage thus allowing all-rounder Deus Muhumuza to have a second bite at the cherry that is the captaincy.
Fast-rising youngsters; Simon Ssesazi and former U-19 captain Frank Akankwasa make the squad alongside left-arm orthodox bowler Gerald Mubiru as well as livewire opening bowler Richard Agamire, who is making a return to the side for the first time since he helped Uganda finish unbeaten with 10 points at the first leg of the ICC World Cricket Challenge League B in Oman December 2019.
Veteran ace Frank Nsubuga, too, bounces back in the squad after he missed out on the last two series hosted by Uganda at Kyambogo and Entebbe Oval.
Captain Muhumuza said; “We know what is at stake. We will try to control what we can control. No team is weak and we will not try to get ahead of ourselves. The guys want to perform well and keep the positive vibes of Ugandan sport going on especially after our juniors qualified for the World Cup. Hopefully, we will be back here again next month for a similar function to fly back to Kigali for the Africa Finals.”
Uganda kick-off their fixtures against Malawi on October 16th at Gahanga, play the hosts Rwanda on October 17 and wrap up their round-robin fixtures on October 22nd against Seychelles.
The ICC Men's T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifier
Group A - (October 14-23)
CRICKET CRANES CONTINGENT TO RWANDA
The Players:
- Deus Muhumuza (Captain), 2. Ronak Patel, 3. Simon Ssesazi, 4. Dinesh Nakrani, 5. Frank Akankwasa, 6. Riazat Ali Shah, 7. Kenneth Waiswa, 8. Bilal Hassun, 9. Frank Nsubuga, 10. Saud Islam, 11. Richard Agamire, 12. Henry Ssenyondo, 13. Fred Achelam (wicket-keeper) 14. Gerald Mubiru
The Reserves:
- Arnold Otwani, 2. Jonathan Ssebanja, 3. Cosmas Kyewuta, 4. Charles Waiswa
The Officials:
Laurence Mahatlane (Coach), Jackson Ogwang (Assistant Coach), Shamim Nassali (Physiotherapist), Alvin Bagaya (Analyst), Innocent Ndawula (Media Manager) Jackson Kavuma (Team Manager).
GROUP A – One Spot To The Africa Finals
Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda, Lesotho Malawi, Eswatini, and Seychelles.
UGANDA’S SCHEDULE
16 October 2021:
2.50 pm: Malawi vs. Uganda
Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali
17 October 2021
2:50 pm: Rwanda vs. Uganda
IPRC Cricket Ground, Kigali
19 October 2021
10:30 am: Lesotho vs. Uganda
IPRC Cricket Ground, Kigali
19 October 2021
2:50 pm: Eswatini vs. Uganda
IPRC Cricket Ground, Kigali
21 October 2021
10:30 am: Ghana vs. Uganda
Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali
22 October 2021
2:50 pm: Seychelles vs. Uganda
IPRC Cricket Ground, Kigali