With a small matter of Division 2 to sort but time running out, UCA has scheduled the men’s T20 league to start this weekend.
The defending Champions Challengers have 2 games left in the regular season and wont be in action till the 3rd weekend of the tournament.
Challengers have had a below par season but they remain a very dangerous T20 side with a lot of fire power in Arthur Kyobe, Hamu Kayondo, Irfan Afridi and Shahzad Kamal. Henry Ssenyondo who was appointed captain mid season replacing Ivan Thawitamwira will be hoping they can defend their title as a redemption for a poor season.
However, they are in a tricky Group A that has season champions Damani, old enemy Tornado B and the youthful Strikers.
Last season finalists KICC will be hoping they can do justice to the talent in their team by winning the T20 title. Team Captain Hanumat Katkhar is hoping that this time they can be able to go all the way after making it for 2 finals in the last 3 years without winning any.
In T20 we have high chances of at least qualify for quarter finals our goal is to become no. 1 or No. 2 in our group from there we will see the position and will plan. For the last 3 years we have been finalists twice but lost to Challengers on both occasions but we remain very competitive in T20.
The T20 crown still eludes 4 time league champions Tornado B and after a bruising season, they will be wounded and dangerous in the shortest format of the game.
However, they will need talisman Roger Mukasa to be in devastating form backed up by their best player this season all rounder Deus Muhumuza. Team Vice Captain Nicholas Kebba spoke to us and he said;
The T20 crown has eluded us indeed and we are more than determined to change that aspect. We shall however take it one game at a time and the team is prepped up for the same.
They are in a tough group with Challengers and Damani and if they are to win they will have to knock over those two to top the group but they should easily make the quarterfinals, and as long as they make it through to the quarters can only meet either of the 2 again in the final. They face off with Wanderers this weekend in Entebbe in their 1st game.
Season champions Damani will be looking to doing a season double when the T20 starts this weekend. The team travels to South Africa later this month for 10 days on a team bonding trip but they will be back in time to compete.
Winning Captain Brian Masaba likes the sound of a double;
A double would be ideal… We are definitely going to try for it but our pool looks pretty tough. It will be important to win as many games as early as possible to take good momentum into the knockouts.
Damani are in the same group as defending champions Challengers and Tornado B.
Kutchi Tigers finished the second round of the 50 Over league unbeaten largely thanks to night cricket MVP Ronak Patel but without the big hard hitter the jury is out on their ability to go all the way.
However, their Captain Alpesh Hirani believes his other players can step up and help the team win its 1st local title.
None of our pros will be available for T20 but we shall try our best with our bench players. It’s a good opportunity for them to prove their space in the team for next year 50 Over league. Nanji Phindoria and Ankit Patel are in top 10 batting so also for T20 we have a good squad as well. We have managed to make the quarterfinals with our locals.
(Winning their first local title) will depend on the games and availability of all full squad players because after 20th of November most of our players are travelling for long leave and many functions are ahead of Diwali New year. So I believe many players will miss many games but let us wait and see.
The other outsiders for the T20 crown include Strikers. The youthful side has some very exciting young talents in U19 national team players Frank Akankwasa, Rogers Olipa, Perry Wazombe and Simon Oketcho. As long as they can get their act together they will be able to match the big boys for the title.
Group A: Challengers, Tornado B, SKPLS, Pirates, Wanderers, Damani, Mwiri, Premier, Avengers, Strikers
Group B: KICC, Partidar, Kutchi Tigers, ACC, Charity, Nile, JACC, Jinja SS
