KAMPALA, UGANDA – Cricket Uganda has officially announced the Victoria Pearls squad travelling to Windhoek, Namibia, for the highly anticipated 2026 Capricorn Series.
The four-nation tournament, featuring hosts Namibia (Capricorn Eagles), Tanzania, Hong Kong, and Uganda battling it out in official T20 Internationals (T20Is), is scheduled to run from July 21st to July 30th, 2026.
Photo by: Sameer G. Bhalekar / CREIMAS
Match action will be shared across two premier locations: the HP Oval and the Namibia Cricket Ground, with the tournament theme dubbed “Pad Up For Her”.
The “Pad Up For Her” theme is a community-driven initiative by the Capricorn Eagles (Namibia’s national women’s cricket team) and Cricket Namibia to provide sanitary pads to young girls.
History of Thinly Contested Rivalry
The Victoria Pearls travel to Windhoek looking to defend a proud competitive standard, building directly on the foundations laid during the April 2025 edition of the Capricorn Series.
In that highly competitive six-match bilateral T20I series between Uganda and Namibia, both sides played out an intense, stalemated battle, winning three games apiece to share the Capricorn trophy.
That edition culminated in a heart-stopping, last-ball thriller in the final match, where Uganda chased down a series-high target of 140 runs to seal a five-wicket victory.
Photo by: Sameer G. Bhalekar / CREIMAS
Squad Transition & Tactical Reinforcements
A comparative look at the travelling team highlights key tactical adjustments since the 2026 Easter Women’s T20 Cup.
The technical bench has made four significant additions to inject fresh momentum, calling up Jimia Abdallah Muhammed, Phiona Egaru Kulume, Asumin Akurut and Sarah Walaza to the main squad, while those making way in the squad are Kevin Amuge, Kevin Awino, Naume Amongin, and Sheila Namagoba, who have been omitted from this selection.
Photo by: Pankaj Nangia/ CREIMAS
The finalised team travelling to Namibia includes:
Janet Mbabazi (Captain)
Ritah Musamali (Vice-Captain)
Proscovia Alako
Immaculate Nakisuuyi
Consylate Aweko Nimungu
Stephanie Nampiina
Esther Iloku (Wicketkeeper)
Sarah Akiteng
Malisa Ariokot
Irene Mutonyi
Jimia Abdallah Muhammed (Wicketkeeper)
Phiona Egaru Kulume
Asumin Akurut
Sarah Walaza
Team Officials:
Lelia Namaganda – Team Manager
Deusdedit Muhumuza – Head Coach
Brian Mark Masaba – Assistant Coach
Imam Tugume – Physiotherapist
Head Coach Deus Muhumuza;
“The Victoria Pearls are prepared. For the batters, mainly, it’s the aggression index. We have tried to make sure the strike rate goes up, and all our top six have surely put up their hands. We are seeing a big difference in their strike rate. We hope to see it more under different pressure situations, but we’ll still get those games against the Under-17 and Under-19 boys.
“For the bowlers, we’ve worked on variations, understanding different field settings, and how to approach different batters. We are trying to get certain batters who hit a certain way, and we find if bowlers can team up and find a way, they can approach and tidy them in their lines.”
Captain Janet Mbabazi;
“Our main target as a team is to go and compete hard to get points on the board, but also to truly express ourselves and showcase our skills on this stage. The ladies have put in immense work to improve both their skills and game awareness, so I would love to see everyone excel and achieve some milestones. It is also wonderful to welcome the returning players back into the team – they have worked incredibly hard to get here and bring fantastic energy and positive vibes to the squad.
“We are super excited to face Namibia again on their home turf. However, we aren’t putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves; as long as we stay calm and stick to our processes, we should be able to get over the line. Beyond the boundary, this year’s Capricorn Series theme, ‘Pad Up For Her,’ is incredibly important to us. As a team, we want to support and inspire young players, showing them the importance of playing sports and staying in school.”
Photo by: Pankaj Nangia / CREIMAS
Victoria Pearls Tournament Match Schedule:
July 21 (10:30 EAT): Uganda vs. Hong Kong – HP Oval
July 22 (10:30 EAT): Namibia vs. Uganda – HP Oval
July 24 (10:30 EAT): Tanzania vs. Uganda – Namibia Cricket Ground
July 25 (15:00 EAT): Uganda vs. Hong Kong – Namibia Cricket Ground
July 27 (15:00 EAT): Namibia vs. Uganda – HP Oval
July 28 (15:00 EAT): Tanzania vs. Uganda – HP Oval
July 30 (10:30/15:00 EAT): Placement Finals – Namibia Cricket Ground
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