Mission Tanzania
Flagged off at Lugogo Oval, the Cricket Cranes head to Dar es Salaam on Sunday, August 2 carrying an unbeaten record, an 18-point advantage and a World Cup dream into the decisive final leg of the ICC CWC Challenge League B.
The Cricket Cranes fly out to Dar es Salaam on Sunday, August 2 ready to embark on the defining final chapter of their ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B campaign, carrying an unbeaten record and a strong position at the top of the standings into the decisive leg in Tanzania.
Uganda heads into the August 6–19 assignment top of the six-team standings after eight victories and two no-results from 10 matches.
With 18 points on the board, the Cricket Cranes hold a two-point advantage over second-placed Italy and know that the final five matches will determine who advances to the next stage of the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup qualification pathway.
Uganda needs three victories to guarantee progression, but Head Coach Steve Tikolo insists the team will not approach the tournament with a minimum-target mentality.
Five Games, One At A Time
“At the back of our minds, there is that three wins, but personally I would want to take it one game at a time. I’ve also spoken to the boys about it but we would also want to win all our five games,” said Tikolo.
“When you do that as a team, you usually send a very strong statement to the world and to the opposition. We want to be clinical and win all matches.”
Captain Riazat Ali Shah shares that ambition, with Uganda seeking not only qualification but also an unbeaten finish to the Challenge League B campaign.
“We want to go for all in, and we want to win all the games,” said Ali Shah. “Our goal is to get the ODI status, but first we have to finish the league first.”
The Cricket Cranes have already beaten every team in the group at least once, giving them confidence heading into the final leg, but the captain knows the team cannot afford to become complacent.
“They also have their own goals. They will also fight,” Ali Shah said.
New Grounds, New Challenge
The final leg will be played at the University of Dar es Salaam Complex, where the newly-erected ESTIM Ground and NTS Ground will provide a fresh challenge for all the competing teams.
The unfamiliar playing surfaces mean Uganda will have to adapt quickly, with the warm-up matches providing the first opportunity to assess the conditions.
“Obviously, being new grounds, I wouldn’t speak much on those, but the good thing is when we get there, we have warm-up games that will give us an insight on how the wicket will play,” said Tikolo.
Previous matches in Tanzania have often been played on slow, low-bouncing surfaces that favour spin, but Tikolo says Uganda will not make assumptions about the new grounds.
“The previous Tanzania wickets were slow, low bounce and turning wickets, usually favouring spinners, but now we cannot go with that because it’s new grounds,” he said.
“We’ll get there, have a look at those wickets in the two games we play and I’m sure we’ll also have some practice sessions on those grounds.”
The warm-up games will therefore serve an important purpose, allowing the Cricket Cranes to acclimatize to the conditions before the qualification campaign begins.
Experience & Youth
Uganda will rely on a blend of experience and emerging talent as it enters the final stretch of the qualification journey.
The squad features established international performers alongside younger players like Gerald Olipa eager to make their mark, with skipper Ali Shah welcoming the opportunity to expose the next generation to the pressure of major international cricket.
“For the future, it’s good to go with a couple of youngsters in the major tournaments. They will know how they can handle the pressure,” he said.
Among the players attracting attention is Simon Ssesazi, who has enjoyed a strong run of form and gives Uganda another dependable option at the top of the order.
Ali Shah believes the overall balance of the squad gives Uganda confidence heading into the tournament.
“We have a couple of youngsters coming up the order, and we have experienced players in between,” he said.
“We have Raghav Dhawan, who has a lot of experience playing in different conditions in India and everywhere. We have Sumeet Verma, who has done so much good in India, especially on spin wickets. We have Alpesh Ramjani, Kenneth Waiswa, Ssesazi and other players. I think we are good to go.”
No Room For Complacency
Italy remains Uganda’s closest challenger, while Hong-Kong China is also still firmly involved in the qualification race.
Although Tanzania, Bahrain and Singapore cannot challenge for the top two positions, they remain dangerous opponents with their own objectives, ensuring Uganda will have to maintain its focus throughout the five-match campaign.
The Cricket Cranes’ unbeaten record gives them momentum, but it also places a target on their backs.
For Tikolo, the answer is simple: remain disciplined, take each game on its merits and execute better than the opposition.
Uganda’s strong position means the team controls its own destiny. The opportunity is now to turn an excellent campaign into qualification and, potentially, finish the Challenge League B cycle as the leading side.
The Mission Is Clear
From the first ball of the warm-up tournament to the final Challenge League B fixture, the Cricket Cranes know what is at stake.
Uganda has built a strong position through two unbeaten legs.
Now comes the final push.
Five Challenge League matches. Five opportunities. One mission.
The Cricket Cranes travel to Tanzania on Sunday afternoon determined to finish what they started — at the top of the table, unbeaten and one step closer to the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Mission Tanzania is on.
TEAM UGANDA – CHALLENGE LEAGUE B SQUAD
- Riazat Ali Shah (Captain)
- Juma Miyaji
- Fred Achelam (Wicket-keeper)
- Cyrus Kakuru (Wicket-keeper)
- Dinesh Nakrani
- Joseph Baguma
- Henry Ssenyondo
- Sumeet Verma
- Simon Ssesazi
- Alpesh Ramjani
- Kenneth Waiswa (Vice Captain)
- Cosmas Kyewuta
- Gerald Olipa
- Raghav Dhawan
Non-Travelling Reserves: Mathew Musinguzi and Robinson Obuya.
TEAM OFFICIALS
Head Coach: Steve Tikolo
Assistant Coach: Jackson Ogwang
Team Manager: Charles Waiswa
Physiotherapist: Japhet Juuko Ndawula
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Emmanuella Oroma
Analyst: Alvin Bagaya
Consultant: Nehal Bibodi
Media Manager: Innocent Ndawula
PRE-CWC TRI-NATION LIST A WARM-UP TOURNAMENT
University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) Complex
August 1: Tanzania vs. Hong Kong China – 9:00am
August 4: Tanzania vs. Uganda – 9:00am
August 6: Uganda vs. Hong Kong China – 9:00am
ICC CWC CHALLENGE LEAGUE B – DAR ES SALAAM
Thursday, August 6: Arrival in Tanzania
Friday, August 7: Practice Session/ Managers, Captains and Coaches Meeting
Saturday, August 8: Uganda vs. Tanzania – UDSM – Ground 1
Tuesday, August 11: Uganda vs. Italy – UDSM Ground 2
Wednesday, August 12: Uganda vs. Hong Kong, China – UDSM Ground 2
Saturday, August 15: Uganda vs. Singapore – UDSM Ground 1
Tuesday, August 18: Uganda vs. Bahrain – UDSM Ground 2
Thursday, August 20: Return To Uganda
Note: All matches will bowl off 9am (EAT)
CURRENT CHALLENGE LEAGUE B STANDINGS – AFTER TWO ROUNDS
Team M W L N/R Pts NRR
1. Uganda 10 8 0 2 18 2.005
2. Italy 10 7 1 2 16 2.914
3. Hong Kong , China 10 5 3 2 12 -0.436
4. Bahrain 10 4 5 1 9 -0.325
5. Tanzania 10 1 7 2 4 -1.549
6. Singapore 10 0 9 1 1 -2.024
N/R denotes No Result, NRR = Net Run Rate, Pts = Points
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