Match Summary: Uganda vs. Mozambique
Uganda 162/7 20 overs
- Alpesh Ramjani 78
- Kenneth Waiswa 26
Mozambique 124/9 20 overs
- Kenneth Waiswa 4/14
- Juma Miyagi 3/7
Uganda won by 38 runs
Cricket Cranes didn’t play up to standard but even in second gear, they managed a 38-run win against Mozambique in the Africa T20 Cup.
Mozambique flexed muscle against their more fancied opponent making the Cricket Cranes sweat for the result.
The only thing Brian Masaba doesn’t lose is tosses and he again called right with Uganda electing to bat first. However, Uganda was very slow out of the blocks and lost regular wickets with no meaningful partnership.
Uganda was only able to make 63 runs inside in the first 10 overs dropping four wickets in the process and only a 5th wicket partnership worth 85 between Alpesh Ramjani (78) and Kenneth Waiswa (26) helped move the score along nicely. Ramjani has taken to international cricket like a duck to water in just his second game for Uganda as he has already scored his maiden T20i fifty while Kenneth Waiswa finally showed his quality with a gusty knock when asked to bat down the order.
In the defense of their total, Joseph Baguma on debut shared the new ball with Juma Miyagi and while the latter was a hand full, Baguma leaked runs and despite losing wickets Damiao Couana (53) took the game to Uganda with some big hits. Brian Masaba turned to an unlikely source for the breakthrough’s and Waiswa delivered an all-rounders’ spell to pick 4/14 and wrap up the game for the Cricket Cranes.
The Cricket Cranes prevailed in the end in what wasn’t an easy result but a good test for the depth of the squad as they get closer to the business end of the tournament. Joseph Baguma and Munir Ismail were given their T20i debuts meaning all the debutants have had a chance to get at least a game under their belts.
The win means Uganda secures a semifinal spot and considering that Kenya lost to Tanzania the Cricket Cranes will most likely face Kenya in the semis.
The team will take on Ghana in their final group game on Tuesday morning.