Match Summary
- Uganda 166/6
- Takashinga 164/5
- Uganda won by 2 runs
The Cricket Cranes won the first of their six T20 games in Zimbabwe with a close 2-run victory over Takashinga.
Bilal Hassun (2/19) held his nerve to defend 9 required off the final six balls. He struck with his second ball to remove a well set Tinotenda Mutombodzi (31) and with two new batters on the crease he managed to close out the win even if he was struck for a boundary on the final ball of the match.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bowl first with Simon Ssesazi (19) and Ronak Patel (73) putting on an opening stand of 85. Patel was the aggressor as he struck a composed half century that was littered with 10 boundaries and 1 maximum.
Roger Mukasa who has been the usual opening partner for Simon Ssesazi at the top came in at one drop and he kept the foot firmly on the gas scoring a quick fire 45 with 3 boundaries and 3 maximums.
Uganda was at 148/3 in 15 overs but the kick on failed completely in the final overs losing 4 wickets for a miserly 12 runs to finish on 166/6. Dinesh Nakrani, Alpesh Ramjani, Kenneth Waiswa and Roger Mukasa all fell cheaply.
In the run chase, Takashinga came out of the blocks quickly with the opening combo of Joylord Gumbie (22) and Baxon Gopita (56) putting on an opening stand of 81 inside 10 overs with the hosts keeping up with the required rate.
The experienced Hamilton Masakadza (36) and Tinotenda Mutombodzi (31) consolidated things in the middle and anchored the innings towards the end. However, Ssebanja struck in the penultimate over of the match to remove Hamilton and that put the brakes on proceedings for the hosts.
The game was still alive for the hosts in the final over with Tinotenda Mutombodzi still at the crease but once Hassun castled him with the second ball of the final over, it shifted the momentum in the favour of the visitors with two new batters on the crease. Hassun closed out the victory for the visitors, a 2-run win.
Uganda draw first blood in a six-match series as they continue to try out their combinations ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers in Namibia.
Frank Nsubuga and David Wabwire were the only players not get run out today.
The team will be action tomorrow against the same opponents for their second game of the tour.