Pak Shaheens and Centurion shared the spoils in a Group B double-header at Lakeside Oval in Entebbe on Friday, October 9, as Centurion bounced back from a morning defeat to win the afternoon match by five wickets.
Pak Shaheens won the opening game by 43 runs after scoring 123 for seven in 20 overs and dismissing Centurion for 80 in 15.2 overs. Centurion responded in the afternoon, restricting Pak Shaheens to 104 for five before reaching 105 for five in 17.4 overs.
The results kept both teams in contention for the knockout stage, with Centurion on four points from three match days and Pak Shaheens fifth on two points from two match days.
Basit inspires morning victory
Centurion won the toss and opted to field first. Abdul Basit Habib had other ideas and didn’t mind, leading Pak Shaheens with 48 off 47 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes, as his side posted 123 for seven.
- Pak Shaheens CC 123/7 in 20 Overs
- Centurion CC 80 all out in 15.2 Overs
- Pak Shaheens CC won by 43 runs
Robert Owili provided an early spark with 23 off 17 balls, including five fours, while captain Raheel Sarwar added 25 off 27 deliveries, striking two sixes. Yasir Malik scored seven before falling at 18 in the third over, and Owili followed at 41 in the fifth.
Sarwar and Basit steadied the innings, taking the score to 80 before Sarwar departed in the 13th over. Basit continued to anchor the innings as wickets fell around him.
Athar Ali made three before falling at 102 in the 17th over. Saad Iqbal remained unbeaten on nine off 11 balls, but Basit’s dismissal for 48 at 116 in the 19th over, followed by Sumran Ahmad’s duck, left Pak Shaheens with little time to add more. Simon Okecho scored five as the innings closed at 123 for seven.
Leon Kigozi and Allan Ssemakula claimed two wickets each for Centurion, while Tembo Anorld, Richard Agamire and Jackson Asiku took one apiece.
Centurion’s chase never recovered from a disastrous start, with Basit taking five wickets for 15 runs in four overs.
Jimmy Atuhairwe briefly threatened with 18 off eight balls, including two fours and a six, but fell early. Marvin Ouma was dismissed for a duck, while Opiyo Tonny made five before Basit removed Balidawa Ali for another duck.
Centurion slumped to 20 for four in 2.5 overs. Brian Mark Masaba scored six, while Godfrey Ejidra made 10 off 22 balls. Agamire offered some resistance with 19 off 16 deliveries, including a four and a six, but Centurion continued to lose wickets.
Yasir Malik supported Basit with four wickets for 12 runs in 2.2 overs, leaving Centurion all out for 80 in 15.2 overs. Shoaib Majeed took the other wicket as Pak Shaheens secured a 43-run win. Basit won the Man of the Match award in the morning encounter.
Ouma leads Centurion’s comeback
Centurion returned for the afternoon match determined to respond, with Ouma’s 51 off 50 balls laying the foundation for a five-wicket victory.
- Pak Shaheens CC 104/5 in 20 Overs
- Centurion CC 105/5 in 17.4 Overs
- Centurion CC won by 5 wickets
Pak Shaheens won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled to build momentum after Owili fell for one in the opening over. Malik scored 15 off 23 balls, and Sarwar added 16 off 34, but Centurion kept the scoring in check.
Malik fell at 34 in the ninth over, followed by Sarwar at 43 in the 12th. Basit made 13 off 19 balls before departing at 60 in the 15th over. Okecho remained unbeaten on 23 off 27 balls, hitting three fours, while Athar Ali struck 24 off 16 deliveries before being run out by Agamire on the final ball. Their contributions lifted Pak Shaheens to 104 for five, with 12 extras.
Masaba was Centurion’s most economical bowler, conceding just 10 runs in four overs and taking one wicket. Tembo, Ssemakula and Kigozi also claimed a wicket each.
Centurion lost Andrew Nyumba for four at 25 in the fourth over, but Ouma and Opiyo rebuilt the innings with a crucial partnership. Ouma struck six fours in his 51, while Opiyo made 21 off 18 balls, including three fours. Their stand took Centurion to 80 before Opiyo fell in the 13th over.
Ouma followed at 84, but the damage had been done. Balidawa made one before falling at 86, while Ssemakula was dismissed for one at 91 in the 16th over.
Masaba, unbeaten on 11, and Agamire, unbeaten on five, guided Centurion home at 105 for five in 17.4 overs, completing the five-wicket win with 14 balls to spare.
Basit took two wickets for 19 runs, while Ibad Khan, Sarwar and Syed Mohtashim claimed one each.
Ouma, named Player of the Match in the afternoon encounter, said Centurion had let themselves down in the morning but regrouped to secure victory.
“Today we had two games, and in the morning game, we didn’t do our very best and gave it away, but in the evening we gathered, mastered the courage, strength and fought for the game, thus winning it,” he said.
Ouma credited his partnership with Opiyo for helping Centurion recover, adding, “In the same afternoon game, I managed to bang a 50 in my partnership with Tonny Opiyo, which was always a tap and go, get, and in the end that helped.”
Opiyo attributed their morning struggles partly to the overnight journey from Gulu.
“We travelled from Gulu to come and play; we travelled at night and got some challenges, and it was visible in how we performed in the morning game,” he said.
He was happier with the afternoon performance, explaining that he had tried to help Ouma reach his half-century before contributing runs himself.
“In the evening we had a wonderful game. I tried to help my partner Marvin to score his half-century, though I left him at 49. I also managed to put up some runs for the team and happened to score 21 runs to complement the morning, and am glad,” Opiyo said.
Although his official score was 21, Opiyo said the experience had boosted his confidence and given him more motivation to improve.
“But I know I will perfect myself because I have gained some experience from these games and also gained the courage that I can make it and be somewhere,” he added.
Group B race remains open
The results had little effect on the Group B standings. Centurion remain on four points from three match days, while Pak Shaheens sit fifth on two points from two match days. Both teams remain in the race for the knockout stage, with Pak Shaheens set to play fellow bottom side Mukono Development on Sunday.
In another Group B double header, SKLPs swept Mukono Development, winning the morning game by 66 runs and the afternoon encounter by 162 runs.
Upcoming UG20 Fixtures
Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Group D: Jinja SSS vs Mukono Warriors – Jinja Oval.
Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Group A: Ismaili vs Kifaru – GM Sugar Oval.
- Group B: Mukono Development vs Pak Shaheens -Florida Oval.
- Group C: Avengers vs Chennai – Entebbe Oval.
- Group D: JACC vs Iganga – Jinja Oval.
- Group D: GM Sugar vs ACC – New GM Sugar Oval.