Kampala – August 22, 2025. The Uganda Cricket Cranes have unveiled the squad for their final preparation phase ahead of the 2025 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final in Harare, Zimbabwe. The team will undergo an intensive residential bootcamp in Jinja from August 27 to September 7, followed by a high-profile tour of South Africa from September 12 to 18.
The Jinja camp will focus on one-on-one skill development, tactical training, and team bonding. Games played locally will help the coaching team finalise combinations and assess emerging talent, including Sumeet Verma and Gaurav Tomar. Key players returning to the side; captain Riazat Ali Shah and left-arm orthodox spinner Henry Ssenyondo, will use this camp to reassert their impact after missing the Pearl of Africa (POA) T20 Series.
Assistant Coach Jackson Oyuku Ogwang emphasized the importance of this phase:
“During the Jinja residential training, we will play as many games. The intensive fitness sessions were held in Kampala and in Jinja we will focus on the each individual’s skill sessions. This is an opportunity for us to closely evaluate the squad, finalize combinations, and integrate new players. We aim to make this camp intense but also fun, as we continue to gel and build towards the ICC T20 Africa Regional Final. We’re determined to achieve back-to-back World Cup qualifications.”
Convener of Selectors Nehal Bibodi added:
“After rigorous discussions with my fellow selectors and Coach Abhay Sharma, we have finalized the squad for the South Africa Tour. We carefully considered all aspects of batting, bowling, and fielding in line with T20I demands. While Uganda performed well in the Pearl of Africa T20 Series, we identified some areas that needed improvement, particularly in batting. This squad gives us the balance and depth required to face high-intensity matches ahead of Zimbabwe.”
Cricket Cranes Squad for Jinja Bootcamp & South Africa Tour
- Riazat Ali Shah (captain)
- Frank Nsubuga
- Dinesh Nakrani Maganlal
- Henry Ssenyondo
- Alpesh Ramjani Ravilal
- Robinson Obuya
- Raghav Dhawan
- Juma Miyaji
- Shrideep Mangela
- Cosmas Kyewuta
- Sumeet Verma
- Gaurav Tomar
- Cyrus Kakuru
- Joseph Baguma
- Innocent Mwebaze
Reserves:
- Bilal Hassun
- Matthew Musinguzi
South Africa Tour Programme
- 12 September: Departure & Arrival in South Africa
- 13 September: Morning training session
- 14 September: Morning game vs. Titans
- 15 September: Afternoon game vs. Lions
- 16 September: Rest/Break
- 17 September: Morning game vs Titans
- 18 September: Departure From South Africa & Arrival in Zimbabwe
The matches against South Africa’s top-tier franchises, Titans and Lions, are expected to be high-profile fixtures, offering the Cricket Cranes a valuable opportunity to test their readiness before heading to Zimbabwe.
The 2025 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final will be held in Harare from 26 September to 4 October 2025, where the top two teams will join South Africa, already pre-qualified, for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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