By URN
Fifteen Cricket players have traveled to Namibia for the T20 World Cup Qualifiers Africa finals slated for Nov 20th to 30th, 2023.
Uganda will compete against six other teams for the two slots in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. Uganda’s opponents include hosts Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria and Kenya.
The players include Brian Masaba, Riazat Ali Shah, Kenneth Waiswa, Ronak Patel, Dinesh Nakrani, Simon Ssesazi, Henry Ssenyondo, Frank Nsubuga, Robinson Obuya, David Wabwire, Jonathan Ssebanja, Roger Mukasa, Bilal Hassun, Cyrus Kakuru, and Alpesh Ramjani.
The Cricket Cranes will spend 10 days in Zimbabwe on a training tour, they will play six T20 games against Takashinga Cricket Club who are the champions of the national league in Zimbabwe before setting off for Namibia.
According to a statement from the Uganda Cricket Association- UCA, opening bowlers Juma Miyagi and Cosmas Kyewuta will miss the tournament due to recurring injuries meaning David Wabwire and Jonathan Ssebanja keep their places.
“Riazat Ali Shah and Dinesh Nakrani make a return to the team after missing the last international outing in Rwanda with Ronald Lutaaya and Pascal Murungi missing out.
Brian Masaba will lead the team under the guidance of Interim Head Coach Jackson Ogwang.” reads part of the statement.
A change in the qualification pathway last year by the ICC meant that teams now qualify directly for the World Cup from their regions. The top two sides at the end of the round-robin format will qualify for the main event of the 20-team tournament in 2024. Namibia and Zimbabwe were both at the 2022 World Cup in Australia and are overwhelming favorites to clinch the two slots.
Uganda is ranked 23rd in the global T20 rankings and will be hoping for some favor in a place they are familiar with. Uganda will also be playing against a test-playing nation for the 1st time when they meet Zimbabwe on Match Day 3.
The team will not have the South African tactician Lawrence Mahatlane whose contract expired at the end of October and UCA resolved not to renew it and rather opted for Jackson Ogwang to take the interim.
Speaking to the media, Interim Head Coach Jackson Ogwang said that the entire team is prepared for the event because they have been preparing for a couple of years.
“The team is ready to make Uganda proud, for the last three years we have been preparing for this event and we are certain something has to finally give. The focus might be on getting one over either Zimbabwe or Namibia but as a team every game is important and therefore the intensity we play with against Zimbabwe is the same energy we bring for Rwanda.”
“We aim to take care of our business and fate will decide the rest but if we play to our potential we shall be at the World Cup” Interim Head Coach Jackson Ogwang.
