The UG20 has reached the business end, and the road to glory is officially underway.
With only eight teams left standing, the quarter-finals promise blockbuster cricket — rematches, debut duels, and unbeaten records on the line.
From defending champions Wanderers to league debutants GM Sugar, every side now has just one focus: survive and advance.
Here’s what to expect this weekend as the quarter-finals light up Lugogo and Entebbe.
Q1 – GM Sugar vs Rounders– Lugogo Cricket Oval – 10:00 AM
The opening quarter-final features a clash of eras as league debutants and Group A leaders GM Sugar take on last year’s runners-up Rounders Cricket Club.
GM Sugar topped Group A with 14 points from 8 games, losing only once — a dream debut season by any measure.
Rounders, meanwhile, finished second in Group B with 12 points from 8 matches, winning six and losing two.
GM Sugar will again look to Mehulkumar Chhotubhai Patel, who blasted an unbeaten 133 off 70 balls against Wanderers last Sunday — one of the standout innings of the tournament so far.
With both sides boasting experience and depth, this fixture could easily swing either way.
One to Watch: Mehulkumar Patel (GM Sugar) – can he repeat his Lugogo heroics on the big stage?
Q2 – Avengers vs Ceylon Lions–Entebbe Cricket Oval – 10:00 AM
It’s déjà vu in Entebbe as Avengers and Ceylon Lions meet again in a rematch of last year’s quarter-final.
In the 2024 edition, the Lions roared to an emphatic 83-run victory, posting 163/5 before skittling Avengers for 80 all out.
Robinson Obuya (72 off 55) and Charles Musemeza (37) led the charge, while Hasith Dilhara (4/15) — now unavailable this season — and Siraje Nsubuga (now with Rounders) did the damage with the ball.
This time, Avengers enter in red-hot form, having topped Group C with 17 points from 8 matches, losing only once.
Ceylon Lions finished second in Group D with 10 points, both defeats coming at the hands of the unstoppable Kutchi Tigers.
Avengers’ talisman Christopher Kidega, the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 360 runs, will once again be the key man.
Can he power his side past last year’s tormentors?
One to Watch: Christopher Kidega (Avengers) – the run machine looking for redemption.
Q3 – Aboojo vs Wanderers– Lugogo Cricket Oval – 2:00 PM
Defending champions Wanderers Cricket Club find themselves in a tricky test against the rejuvenated Aboojo side (formerly Nyakasura).
Wanderers sneaked into the knockouts by edging Tornado Bee on net run rate, finishing second in Group A with 10 points from 8 games after three losses.
Aboojo, on the other hand, were impressive in Group B — topping the table with 13 points and losing just once.
Interestingly, Aboojo made a deep run last year, reaching the semifinals before falling to Rounders.
And while Wanderers will draw on their championship experience — including last year’s final win at this very venue — their inconsistent form makes this one of the weekend’s most unpredictable encounters.
One to Watch: Wasim Butt (Wanderers) – the experience and the 273 runs that he has scored in the campaign could prove decisive under pressure.
Q4 – Kutchi Tigers vs Ismaili– Entebbe Cricket Oval – 2:00 PM
The final quarter-final pits unbeaten Kutchi Tigers against an inspired Ismaili Community side in their first-ever meeting.
Kutchi Tigers, the only team yet to lose a game this season, dominated Group D with 16 points from 8 matches, cruising into the knockouts in style.
They were narrowly knocked out by Wanderers at this stage last year — a 2-run heartbreaker they’ve not forgotten.
Ismaili, meanwhile, have enjoyed a breakout campaign, finishing second in Group C with 16 points from 10 matches, winning eight and losing two but will be without their key player Rizat Ali Sha.
Having failed to make it out of the groups last year, this quarter-final marks a major step forward.
Their key man? Ghulam Hunzai, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 20 wickets, who’ll be vital if Ismaili hope to derail the Tigers’ unbeaten run.
One to Watch: Ghulam Hunzai (Ismaili) – the form bowler with the power to turn games.
Broadcast and Conditions
The matches at Lugogo Cricket Oval will be streamed live on the Cricket Uganda YouTube channel.
While the broadcast carries no commercial element, it ensures fans across the country can share in the excitement of Uganda’s premier T20 competition.
In the event of weather interruptions or other disruptions during the quarter-finals, semifinals, or final, the following tiebreakers will apply:
- Bowl-out – to determine the winner.
- If a bowl-out isn’t possible, a coin toss will decide the advancing team.
What to Watch This Weekend
- Can debutants GM Sugar extend their unbeaten run against last year’s finalists Rounders?
- Will Avengers avenge last year’s defeat to Ceylon Lions?
- Can Aboojo upset the defending champions Wanderers?
- Will Kutchi Tigers stay perfect, or can Ismaili script an underdog miracle?
As the UG20 enters knockout mode, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Every run, every wicket, and every moment now counts toward a shot at the championship.
It’s crunch time. Expect drama, skill, and emotion — Uganda’s cricketing elite are ready for battle.