The Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) has revealed that Abhay Sharma of Indian origin will lead the senior men’s national team, the Cricket Cranes, as their new head coach. He joins the side on a three-year deal, with his immediate task being to prepare the team for their debut in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Sharma made his local media debut on Tuesday, introduced by UCA CEO John Walusimbi during a gathering at Roza Dymz in Kololo, Kampala.
Sharma assumes the position previously held by Laurence Mahatlane, who departed last October. Jackson Ogwang, Mahatlane’s assistant, has been serving as an interim coach. However, it’s still uncertain whether he will return to his former role as assistant.
With a wealth of experience, Sharma, a former first-class cricketer has previously served as the fielding coach for India A and India-19s, in addition to his work with the Indian women’s cricket team. His most recent coaching role was with the Delhi Ranji team
Sharma has expressed his readiness to work with the team, stating that: “I am always open to challenges. I was comfortable back at home but I accepted this challenge. It’s always good to give back to the game, and give back to the game where it’s necessary. This is an emerging country in cricket and they have done decently well in the past and I will contribute with my experience and try to hold the squad into a much better unit.”
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Sharma, 54 who had sessions with the side even before his unveiling says that their main aim at the global meet is to beat at least of of the top sides in the world so that they can leave a mark in the tourney.
After an extensive search, Uganda cricket authorities are confident that Sharma is the perfect fit for the position.
As Uganda prepares for the T20 World Cup, they’re embarking on an intensive training camp set to kick off in Sri Lanka next week. Over the span of two weeks, they’ll be honing their skills and strategies through practice matches against local teams, gearing up for the tough competition ahead.
This year’s World Cup is shaping up to be historic, boasting a record-breaking 20 teams. Alongside Uganda, other associate nations like hosts USA, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Canada, and the Netherlands are all set to make their mark on the global stage.
The teams will be divided into four groups of five, with the top two from each group advancing to the Super Eight phase. From there, they’ll navigate through two groups of four, leading up to the nail-biting semi-finals and, ultimately, the grand finale.
Uganda’s T20 World Cup journey will unfold in Guyana and Trinidad. They kick off their campaign against Afghanistan on June 3 in Guyana, followed by clashes against PNG and hosts West Indies on June 5 and June 8 respectively. Their final group stage match will be against New Zealand in Trinidad on June 14.
After securing their maiden World Cup qualification in November, Uganda showcased their prowess by triumphing over formidable opponents like Rwanda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Kenya in the Africa Qualifier, with their only loss coming against co-qualifier Namibia.
