The Cricket Cranes wrapped up their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier warm-up matches with a morale-boosting 7-wicket win against Malawi at Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare this evening.
After back-to-back defeats in practice games against the SuperSport Titans and Namibia, Uganda needed a strong performance to regain confidence ahead of the tournament proper. They delivered with a dominant all-round display that saw Malawi bowled out for just 67 runs in 15.3 overs. Finger spinner Joseph Baguma starred with the ball, taking 4 wickets for 18 runs, while Dinesh Nakrani added two wickets. Skipper Riazat Ali Shah and the rest of the bowling unit contributed with disciplined spells to restrict Malawi.
In reply, opener Raghav Dhawan anchored the chase with an unbeaten 45 off 28 balls, guiding Uganda to 69/3 in just 7.3 overs despite losing a couple of quick wickets in the middle. Robinson Obuya gave the innings a flying start with 12 off 5 deliveries, before Dhawan saw the team safely to victory.
In a further exercise to build confidence, Malawi allowed Uganda to bat through their full 20 overs. This gave players like Alpesh Ramjani (50 retired), Riazat Shah (40 retired), and Cyrus Kakuru (20*) valuable time at the crease. Uganda eventually closed on 188/7 in 20 overs, gaining important match practice ahead of the tournament.
Head coach Abhay Sharma praised the team’s performance, noting Baguma’s continued rise and the batsmen’s use of the opportunity to find form. Baguma expressed his readiness to “repay the selectors’ faith whenever given a chance,” while wicketkeeper-batsman Cyrus Kakuru described the win as “morale-lifting after two tough results.”
The Cricket Cranes now turn their focus to the tournament opener against hosts and favourites Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Friday, September 26, at 2:50 pm (EAT).
Practice Match Result – September 24, Takashinga Cricket Club, Harare:
Malawi: 67 all out in 15.3 overs (Baguma 4/18)
Uganda: 69/3 in 7.3 overs (Dhawan 45*)
Result: Uganda won by 7 wickets
Next Fixture – Tournament Opener:
Uganda vs. Zimbabwe – Harare Sports Club, Friday, Sept 26, 2:50 pm (EAT)
