Juma Miyagi will lead the Cricket Cranes for the first time during the Pearl of Africa Series, which will feature Nigeria, UAE, Kenya, and Namibia A.
Miyagi has been handed the reins of captaincy in the absence of regular captain Riazat Ali Shah, who is out injured.
It’s a fairytale story for the boy from Naguru who made his senior debut in 2023 and since then has seen his stock rise. He has developed his game into a fine bowler who can also contribute with the bat when required. The extra responsibility should inspire him, especially in a format that suits his skills.
Ronald Lutaya returns to the senior side since the 2023 tour to Namibia, when he made his debut, and his rich vein of form has seen him get a look-in. He should get some opportunities at the top of the order and will compete with the likes of Robinson Obuya and Raghav Dhawan for an opening slot. A great series might change his fortunes in terms of the final 14 for the qualifiers in September.
Innocent Mwebaze makes a return, but he has always been delayed because of those ahead of him, rather than his inabilities. Mwebaze was part of the World Cup squad as a backup to Juma Miyagi and Cosmas Kyewuta, but the series gives him a great opportunity to show what he can do on his own. He has stayed healthy, which is very important for a fast bowler, and if he can have a great series, he might earn a spot on the final team for the qualifiers as a viable option to those ahead of him.
Matthew Musinguzi and Calvin Watuwa have been impressive in the local league, and their performances have been rewarded with senior debuts. Musinguzi was part of the U-19 World Cup team in the West Indies in 2022, and since then, he has worked on his craft, and in the absence of the reliable Henry Ssenyondo, he has been given a chance to show what he can do.
Watuwa is another gem that has come through to play for the national team without ever playing for the junior sides. His hard work has paid off for him, and his appetite for scoring runs has seen him get ahead of his competition. He is another talent from the product line in Jinja, and will have a whole community rooting for him when he gets his chance.
The selections are a clear sign that Uganda is looking to the future and is trying to make sure they have a big pool of players to pick from with international exposure. The experience on the side remains with Juma Miyagi and Cosmas Kyewuta leading the line with the new ball; they will have Innocent Mwebaze to share responsibilities with. The evergreen Frank Nsubuga is one of the slow bowling options alongside the youngster Joseph Baguma and Alpesh Ramjani.
Dinesh Nakrani will have to do the finishing work without Riazat Ali Shah, and his range hitting will be very important at the back end. Alpesh will be required to lead the slow bowlers, given his experience.
Cyrus Kakuru has gotten the nod ahead of Fred Achellam, who has been the preferred option with the gloves recently.
The new and returning will be under some pressure in front of an expectant and passionate home support, but opportunities to play for the senior side don’t come around often, so this is an opportunity for each player to make a case for themselves.
Cricket Cranes Full Squad:
1. Juma Miyagi (Captain), 2. Dinesh Nakrani, 3. Alpesh Ramjani, 4. Shrideep Mangela, 5. Raghav Dhawan, 6. Joseph Baguma, 7. Innocent Mwebaze, 8. Ronald Lutaya, 9. Matthew Musinguzi, 10. Robinson Obuya, 11. Frank Nsubuga, 12. Cosmas Kyewuta, 13. Cyrus Kakuru, 14. Calvin Watuwa