Jackson Ogwang wants the Cricket Cranes to make the most of every opportunity during their preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off, knowing that Uganda’s hopes of moving closer to the 2027 World Cup will depend on how well they adapt to the demands of 50-Over cricket.
The assistant coach says the immediate focus is on building the players’ endurance at the crease, batting intelligently and knowing when to attack as Uganda prepares for the December 4–21 tournament in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The team returned to action with its first trial match following the qualifiers in Nigeria, beginning a series of practice games intended to sharpen the squad before the important assignment.
“We are happy to be back playing our first trial match today after the qualifiers in Nigeria. Of course, the format changes from the first T20 cricket to a more demanding 50-over cricket that requires us to bat really long,” Ogwang said.
“What we’re looking for and what we’re focussing on in our KPIs is making sure that the boys are batting the whole 50 allotted overs and playing with more smartness and, of course, not forgetting to be aggressive in the way they go about the three periods of a 50-Over game.”
Uganda earned its place in the eight-team competition after finishing second in the two-year ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League B campaign.
With the tournament carrying significant implications for the country’s cricket ambitions, the technical team is keen to use the remaining preparation time wisely.
Ogwang is encouraged by the work already being done, although he acknowledged that not every squad member had reported for the opening trial match.
He expects the full squad to be available for Thursday’s second game, with close to six or seven matches planned to give the players enough time to work on the different areas identified by the coaches.
“We’re happy with what is happening today. Of course, not all the squad members are in, but by the time we play our second game on Thursday, we’ll have all the squad members and making sure that we’re trying to work on all the areas of our KPIs,” he said.
“We have close to six or seven games lined up, and we believe that in those seven games, we’ll be able to achieve what we really want to achieve out of it.”
For Ogwang, the priority is to ensure that the players do not take these opportunities for granted. Every match offers another chance to understand the demands of the longer format and get closer to the level required in Nepal.
“So, we’ll make sure that we use every opportunity that we get to play the 50-over cricket,” he added.
The Qualifier Play-off will run from December 4 to December 21 at the Tribhuvan University and Mulpani Cricket Grounds in Kathmandu.
Uganda will begin its campaign against Namibia on December 4 at the Mulpani Cricket Ground in a competition featuring eight teams, including hosts Nepal and fellow Associate challengers Italy.
The stakes are high. A strong finish would take the Cricket Cranes into the final global ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, bringing them another step closer to the 2027 World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
There is also the prospect of securing permanent One Day International (ODI) status, a major milestone that would give Uganda access to a more structured international playing schedule and crucial funding for the development of the game.