The Cricket Cranes were on Thursday flagged off for the second edition of the Africa Cup in South Africa. The annual event was rescheduled from September this year to accommodate the T20 Qualifiers that just concluded in Namibia.
The tournament is played among the members of the Africa Cricket Association with teams going through qualification rounds in their respective regions with the top sides meeting in the finals. Uganda earned a bye to the finals as defending champions. Uganda were crowned champions last year after defeating Tanzania by eight wickets in a pulse setting final.
The final 14 for the tournament has only one change from the side that made history in Namibia, David Wabwire misses out with the rest of the team remaining the same. Brian Masaba will continue to lead the side at the tournament.
“We want to be the first team to defend the title,” skipper Masaba said adding that; “we won’t be worried about any team we play against, our mentality will be to win every game. We’ll need to be consistent in each and every game.”
The tournament will be played in Benoni Johanesburg. Uganda will have to wait to find who its opponents will be with the final qualifiers happening just before the finals.
The Team: Roger Mukasa, Simon Ssesazi, Robinson Obuya, Riazat Ali Shah, Dinesh Nakrani, Frank Nsubuga, Brian Masaba (Captain), Alpesh Ramjani, Kenneth Waiswa, Ronak Patel, Kakuru Cyrus, Henry Ssenyondo, Bilal Hassun, Jonathan Ssebanja.
Officials: Jackson Ogwang (Head Coach), Tusiime Steve (Team Analyst), Shamim Nassali (Physiotherapist), Malinga Marion (Media Attache), Charles Waiswa (Team Manager).
