DAR ES SALAAM – The Cricket Cranes closed their ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B campaign with silver medals and a runners-up trophy in Dar es Salaam, ending a three-leg, three-year journey with 22 points and, more importantly, a ticket to the next stage of the 2027 Cricket World Cup qualification pathway.
Dar Finale
The final leg in Dar es Salaam did not produce the finish Uganda wanted.
The Cricket Cranes managed two victories from five matches as the pressure of the concluding leg exposed areas that will require attention before the next challenge.
But the disappointment of the final five matches cannot erase the work done across the entire campaign.
Uganda had already built a strong foundation during the opening leg in Uganda in November 2024 and continued that momentum during the second leg in Hong Kong, China in February 2025.
That body of work ultimately proved decisive.
Uganda finished second on 22 points, behind Italy, who completed a perfect five-from-five final leg to move to 26 points and claim the Challenge League B title.
The Reward
The runners-up finish guarantees Uganda progression to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off, scheduled for December this year.
The next stage represents a major historical milestone.
Uganda and Italy will enter the ODI stage for the first time, taking the Cricket Cranes into a new level of international cricket as the race for the 2027 World Cup intensifies.
The Challenge League itself consisted of 15 matches for each team across three competition legs. The top two teams progressed to the Qualifier Play-off.
Dhawan Dominates
Uganda’s strongest individual campaign belonged to opening batter Raghav Dhawan.
The top order batsman finished the three-leg, 15-match campaign as the competition’s Best Batter with 558 runs, underlining his consistency across the long qualification journey.
Captain Riazat Ali Shah was also among the leading run-scorers, finishing third with 473 runs.
Dhawan’s award provided a significant individual highlight in an otherwise difficult Dar finale.
Miyaji Makes Mark
Uganda’s young fast bowler Juma Miyaji also emerged among the campaign’s leading performers.
Miyaji finished third among the leading wicket-takers with 24 wickets an impressive return over the three legs.
Italy’s Chris Kalugamage topped the bowling standings with 29 wickets.
For Uganda, Miyaji’s emergence provides an encouraging building block as the team prepares for a much more demanding ODI environment.
MVP Honours
Hong Kong, China’s captain Yasin Murtaza was named the campaign’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) after an outstanding all-round contribution of 339 runs and 25 wickets.
Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani was among the leading MVP performers after contributing 305 runs and 18 wickets.
Miyaji also finished among the campaign’s top five MVP performers.
Cleaned Up
For a team that had just endured one of its most testing tournament legs, the Cricket Cranes looked a very different side at the awards ceremony.
Dressed in the official Cricket Uganda blazers, the players mixed freely with opponents and officials, participated in an interactive quiz and provided plenty of smiles away from the intensity of the cricket field.
It was a fitting reminder that beyond the wins, losses and statistics, the Challenge League has also been a journey of growth and exposure.
History Awaits
The silver medals now go into the Cricket Uganda cabinet.
But the real prize is still ahead.
The Qualifier Play-off will bring a different level of pressure and a new challenge for a Ugandan side preparing to enter ODI cricket.
The final leg in Dar has provided plenty of questions.
The December assignment will demand answers.
For the Cricket Cranes, the journey continues.
The next chapter is ODI cricket – one that all Ugandans must cherish and embrace.
CAMPAIGN IN NUMBERS
15 — matches played by each team
3 — competition legs
3 — years across which the campaign was played
22 — Uganda’s final points
26 — Italy’s winning total
558 — Raghav Dhawan’s runs
473 — Riazat Ali Shah’s runs
29 — Chris Kalugamage’s wickets
24 — Juma Miyaji’s wickets
339 — Yasin Murtaza’s runs
25 — Yasin Murtaza’s wickets
305 — Alpesh Ramjani’s runs
18 — Alpesh Ramjani’s wickets