Uganda qualifies for men’s T20 World Cup for first time
The win meant the Cricket Cranes, ranked 23rd in the world, clinched second place in the six-team tournament in Windhoek, Namibia.
WINDHOEK: Uganda qualified for the Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time with a nine-wicket victory over Rwanda in African qualifying.
The win meant the Cricket Cranes, ranked 23rd in the world, clinched second place in the six-team tournament in Windhoek, Namibia.
Uganda will join Namibia at the 20-team finals in the United States and the West Indies next year after the Eagles qualified with a game to spare on Tuesday.
“It is pretty surreal,” captain Brian Masaba said.
“I can’t put words to the emotions we are feeling now as a team. It’s huge for Ugandan cricket and huge for African cricket, especially, for a country like Uganda to make it to the World Cup.”
Having opened with a win over Tanzania and then a defeat by Namibia, Uganda upset Zimbabwe in its third game on Sunday, winning by five wickets in its first T20 International against a full ICC member.
The East Africans subsequently cruised to a nine-wicket triumph over Nigeria and beat neighbour Kenya by 33 runs on Wednesday to move to the brink of qualification.
It won the toss against Rwanda and decided to field, bowling out its opponent for 65 inside 19 overs. Uganda reached its target of 66 runs, for the loss of one wicket, in just 8.1 overs.
The team celebrated with a small band of travelling fans after opener Simon Ssesazi hit the winning run to clinch victory and qualification. “A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get us where we are today,” Masaba said.
“It has been years of toil and hard work, four or five years of sacrifice. The fans joining in the celebrations was pretty special.”
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I can’t put words to the emotions we are feeling now as a team. It’s huge for Ugandan cricket and huge for African cricket, especially, for a country like Uganda to make it to the World Cup
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Brian Masaba, Uganda captain
