Time For T20 Naija Mission
The Cricket Cranes have been flagged off for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Abuja, Nigeria, with captain Riazat Ali Shah leading Uganda’s 14-man squad in pursuit of tournament victory and qualification for the Africa Regional Final.
OCTOBER 16, LUGOGO – The Cricket Cranes have been challenged to turn their ranking into results after being flagged off for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C, with the team targeting qualification for the Africa Regional Final and victory in the Abuja tournament.
The team travels on Sunday.
National Council of Sports (NCS) Assistant General Secretary Technical Milton Chebet and Senior Sports Officer Anne Nankya and Cricket Uganda CEO Evelyn Kabongerwa Shinyekwa flagged off the 14-man squad and officials at the NCS Headquarters in Kampala on Friday morning ahead of the October 18–25 competition in Nigeria.
Led by captain Riazat Ali Shah and vice-captain Kenneth Waiswa, Uganda enter the six-team tournament as the highest-ranked side among the participating countries.
The immediate target is a top-two finish, which would secure progression to the Africa Regional Final on the road to the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Uganda made their maiden appearance at the global tournament in the West Indies and the United States in 2024 but missed out on the 2026 edition.
The Abuja assignment offers the Cranes an opportunity to take an important step towards returning to the world stage.
Tikolo targets victory
Head coach Steve Tikolo expressed confidence in the selected squad, saying the 14 players offered the best combination to deliver results while providing opportunities for emerging talent to develop through international competition.
“We feel these are the best 14 players to go and do the job for us in Abuja. We have a good combination of experienced players and youngsters who have put up their hands whenever they have been selected,” Tikolo said.
He cited performances during recent assignments, including the tour of India and the ILT20 Continent Cup in Kigali, as part of the assessment that informed selection.
He added that exposing younger players to international competition was important in building a wider pool of players for the future.
Tikolo was also confident that the squad could cope with the absence of injured all-rounder Dinesh Nakrani and opening bowler Cosmas Kyewuta.
“I am confident in the boys going to Abuja. Our target is to go there and win the tournament, not only qualify. We have spoken about that as a team, and everybody understands the goal,” added the 55-year-old tactician.
However, he cautioned against underestimating any opponent, stressing the value of taking each match as it comes and maintaining standards in all three areas.
“It is a T20 tournament, and you cannot take anybody lightly. We must cover all our bases in batting, bowling and fielding,” he added.
Riazat calls for consistency
Captain Riazat said the blend gave the team a strong foundation but emphasised that Uganda must execute the basics well to achieve their objectives.
“We have a good combination of players, and we are excited to see the younger players grow, and tournaments like these are important because they learn how to handle pressure and improve through international competition,” he said.
Riazat acknowledged that hosts Nigeria would enjoy home advantage but said Uganda would focus on their own standards and approach.
“Nigeria are playing at home, and they will benefit from that, but we have to play our game and perform according to our standards. We must go out there, express ourselves and focus on what we can control,” he said.
The captain said the team was determined to make progress towards the next World Cup after missing the 2026 tournament.
“We missed the 2026 World Cup, and now our goal is to qualify for the 2028 edition. We have to focus on every game, do the basic things well and take the tournament one match at a time,” he added.
Five matches to secure progress
Uganda open their campaign against Zambia on October 20 before facing Lesotho the following day.
After a rest day, they take on The Gambia on October 23, Mozambique on October 24 and hosts Nigeria on October 25.
The schedule will require the Cranes to manage workloads and maintain consistency, with four matches coming in six calendar days.
Their ranking gives them a strong starting position, but progression will depend on each performance.
TEAM UGANDA
Riazat Ali Shah, Robinson Obuya, Raghav Dhawan, Gerald Olipa, Sumeet Verma, Kenneth Waiswa, Alpesh Ramjani, Pius Oloka, Anas Baig Mirza, Charles Musemeza, Cyrus Kakuru, Juma Miyaji, Joseph Baguma and Enock Kasaija.
UGANDA’S FIXTURES – MOSHOOD ABIOLA STADIUM, ABUJA
- October 20: Uganda vs. Zambia — 11:30 am EAT, NCF Oval 1
- October 21: Lesotho vs. Uganda — 11:30 am EAT, NCF Oval 2
- October 23: The Gambia vs. Uganda — 3:50 pm EAT, NCF Oval 2
- October 24: Uganda vs. Mozambique — 11:30 am EAT, NCF Oval 2
- October 25: Nigeria vs. Uganda — 3:50 pm EAT, NCF Oval 1
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