- Tournament: T20 World Cup Qualifiers – Zimbabwe
- Dates: September 26th – 4th Oct
- Group B: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana
Uganda’s Cricket Cranes will be chasing a second T20 World Cup appearance at the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, starting with a must-win afternoon clash against the hosts on Friday, 26th September.
Zimbabwe, with revenge on their mind, will look to start on a winning note, knowing that the winner of that game will most likely top Group B. The winner of Group B will most likely have an easy semifinal if you compare the teams in Group A, which has Namibia, Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi.
The squad of 15 selected has two new boys. Gaurav Tomer and Verma Sumeet are the new boys to the setup, an indication that the team is thinking about runs on board. Uganda has relied a lot on its middle order to bail them out of dangerous situations, but I think the technical team has realized that this is not a tenable situation, given that sometimes there might be a lot of work for them to do. The modern-day T20 teams throw the first punch rather than trying to outbox their opponent and Gaurav, a keeper-batter, and Verma have their work cut out for them.
The young trio of Joseph Baguma, Cyrus Kakuru, and Innocent Mwebaze will have to be content with being back up but Baguma was very impressive in the warm-up games in South Africa and he might force the hand of the technical team. The youngster has learned to bowl different variations to complement his off-spin and his range hitting and agility in the field make him an asset.
The starting XI for the Cricket Cranes will pretty much select itself, with Riazat Ali Shah now in charge. He has been Uganda’s player in T20 cricket for over three years now and the hope will be that he has not yet run out of luck. Riazat prides in leading from the front and a second World Cup will be a proud moment for his reign as captain. He still has the privilege of having Dinesh Nakrani and Alpesh Ramjani in his side, both of whom have been with him in the trenches in so many battles. Ramjani showed a glimpse of his potential with a match-winning knock in the final game against the UAE in the Pearl of Africa series. Nakrani has the range to hit big, and his skills will be needed at the back, especially if the top has failed to hold.
Robinson Obuya has grown in a year to earn a place in the starting XI. He never got a run out at the last qualifiers but a year on, he is now in the top order and runs will be the currency on which he is judged. A strong boy, not just physically but also mentally, he has earned everything he has gotten and he understands the privilege he has to make sure he is always among those who contribute runs.
Shrideep Mangela and Raghav Dhawan are not new to the set up but their exploits have been in the longer format but they have shown that they belong at this level. Shrideep has shown he can drop anchor at the top while Raghav has the ability to shift through gears quickly which will be valuable in posting big totals.
Juma Miyagi and Cosmas Kyewuta are now the first choice new ball options. They missed the last qualifiers through injury but now fully fit, they would also want to be part of Uganda’s history. They have the speed to trouble batters but will also need to have the control to be consistent enough in good areas to make sure they control the flow of runs in the power play. However, their biggest growth has been their ability to bowl in the death overs. Miyagi can nail the yorker more times than Manchester United goes on a winning streak and Kyewuta has mastered the art of varying his pace at the back end.
Henry Ssenyondo never says much and only lets his bowling talk for him and his slow left arm spin will be complimented by the darts of Frank Nsubuga and Alpesh Ramjani. The side will miss the luxury that former Captain Brian Masaba gave them of bowling some slow overs but they have the benefit of going to Dinesh Nakrani to break partnerships and slowing down things when required.
Uganda will be expected to get past Tanzania and Botswana but they must win against Zimbabwe to be comfortable at the qualifiers. If Uganda wins Group B, they will surely go back to the World but if they miss out on top place they will have a date with fate and destiny.
Full Cricket Cranes Squad:
Riazat Ali Shah (captain), Frank Nsubuga, Dinesh Nakrani Maganlal, Henry Ssenyondo, Alpesh Ramjani Ravilal, Robinson Obuya, Raghav Dhawan, Juma Miyaji, Shrideep Mangela, Cosmas Kyewuta, Sumeet Verma, Cyrus Kakuru, Gaurav Tomar, Joseph Baguma, Innocent Mwebaze.
