In their second match of the tour, Uganda men’s national cricket team, Cricket Cranes suffered another setback against Sri Lanka Development side, marking their second consecutive loss in the series. The match, held in Galle, showcased Uganda’s resilience but ultimately ended in defeat as they were unable to contain the Sri Lankan batting lineup.
The Uganda XI put up a total of 131/9 in their allotted 20 overs, with notable contributions from Alpesh Ramjani scoring 26 off 23 balls and Brian Masaba adding 22 off 24 balls. However, their efforts were thwarted by the impressive bowling display from Tharindu Ratnayake, who claimed 3 wickets for 18 runs, and Ravindu Fernando, who secured 2 wickets for 19 runs.
In response, Sri Lanka Development chased down the target with ease, reaching 136/5 in just 12.5 overs. Ravindu Fernando continued his fine form, remaining unbeaten on 38 off 28 balls, while Sandun Weerakkody contributed a brisk 32 off 15 balls. Despite the efforts of Uganda’s Cosmas Kyewuta, who took 3 wickets for 23 runs, and Brian Masaba, who managed to pick up 1 wicket for 30 runs, Sri Lanka Development clinched victory by 5 wickets with 43 balls to spare.
The defeat serves as a learning experience for Uganda as they gear up for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. With the next match scheduled for May 3rd in Galle, Uganda will look to bounce back and make adjustments to their strategy in pursuit of a positive outcome.
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.