Uganda’s She Cranes marched into the Africa Netball Cup semifinals as Pool 2 winners following a nervy 54-49 victory over a spirited Malawi Queens at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
The dramatic triumph on Wednesday, September 23, completed a flawless, unbeaten pool campaign for the She Cranes.
Before the showdown, Uganda had swept aside Nigeria 68-30, Zambia 59-40, and hosts Kenya 62-42.
Entering the final group encounter, both Uganda and Malawi stood as the two undefeated sides in Pool 2, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle that swung dramatically across four quarters.
The She Cranes made their intentions crystal clear from the opening whistle, racing out of the blocks to establish a commanding 19-4 lead in the first quarter.
Malawi steadied the ship in the second period, matching Uganda goal-for-goal in a tight 15-15 frame that left the She Cranes comfortably ahead at 34-19 by halftime.
However, the Queens produced their strongest spell after the break. Mounting a ferocious comeback, Malawi outscored Uganda 19-8 in the third quarter, dramatically narrowing the gap and putting the She Cranes under immense pressure heading into the home stretch.
Reflecting on the momentum shift, Margret Baagala acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining early intensity against a fresh influx of Malawian substitutes.
“We entered the third quarter, and we were a little bit weary then, like you know when they bring new players, and you can’t keep the same momentum you started with because they have brought you new players already, but we made sure our balls get to reach the front as we also keep our defence strong,” Baagala noted.
Teammate Sheilah Nayibanda echoed those sentiments, recognising the formidable pedigree of their opponents: “It wasn’t easy; Malawi is not an easy catch or team to intimidate. We thank God that we have won the game.”
When it mattered most, Uganda held its nerve, edging a tense final quarter, 12-11, allowing the She Cranes to protect their cushion and complete a hard-earned five-goal victory.
The ongoing 2026 Africa Netball Cup doubles as the Netball World Cup 2027 Africa Regional Qualifiers.
While the women’s competition is split into two pools, defending champions South Africa lead Pool 1 following heavy wins over Tanzania (90-22), Zimbabwe (58-41), and Botswana.
Notably, both South Africa and Uganda have already secured qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup through their global rankings, leaving other participating nations to battle for the remaining two World Cup slots.
With preliminary matches concluding on Wednesday, September 23, and a rest day alongside positional classification set for Thursday, attention shifts firmly to the knockout stage.
The She Cranes are expected to face either South Africa or Namibia in the semifinals, with both sides having won their opening three Pool 1 matches. The women’s qualification semifinals are scheduled for Friday, September 25, with the first tip-off at 12 PM and the second at 2 PM East African Time.
If both South Africa and Uganda win their respective classification semifinals, a separate pathway will be activated to determine the final World Cup tickets due to their pre-qualification status.
The tournament reaches its grand climax on Saturday, September 26, featuring the Netball World Cup 2027 Qualifier Final at 2 PM, followed by the Africa Netball Cup Grand Final at 6 PM.