Uganda’s national cricket team, the Cricket Cranes, are gearing up to defend their ILT20 Africa Continental Cup title in Kigali, Rwanda.
The tournament, running from December 4 to December 14, 2024, will feature Uganda competing against Botswana, Nigeria, and hosts Rwanda at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium in a round-robin format culminating in the final.
Having clinched the trophy last year in a nail-biting one-run victory over Kenya, Uganda is aiming to replicate their success despite Kenya’s withdrawal from this year’s competition.
Fresh from winning the Rwanda Emerging Nations T20 Cup with the Uganda A side, the Cricket Cranes have made strategic changes to their lineup.
Left-handed opening batsman Simon Ssesazi, spinner Joseph Baguma, and batting all-rounder Pascal Murungi have been recalled to strengthen the squad.
Nehal Bibodi, Chairman of Selectors, emphasized the team’s focus on developing young talent, stating, “We are giving younger players more opportunities for exposure. Pascal Murungi’s inclusion is to prepare him for the future, while experienced players like Kenneth Waiswa remain integral to the team despite being left out now. Joseph Baguma continues to impress with his potential for a long and promising career.”
Head coach Abhay Sharma highlighted the importance of preparation and adaptability, saying, “Our aim is to test various players in different positions and combinations to find the best fit for the coming challenges, especially with an eye on next year’s ICC Africa T20 World Cup Qualifier Final. By focusing on planning, preparation, and execution, we believe success will follow.”
The team, led by captain Riazat Ali Shah, will kick off their campaign with an opening game against Botswana tomorrow at 2:15 p.m. Fans can catch all the action live from Kigali, with matches being streamed online via the sponsor’s channel.
Squad for ILT20 Africa Continental Cup: Riazat Ali Shah (captain), Pascal Murungi, Frank Nsubuga, Henry Ssenyondo, Dinesh Nakrani, Cosmas Kyewuta, Alpesh Ramjani, Robinson Obuya, Raghav Dhawan, Fred Achelam, Shrideep Mangela, Joseph Baguma, Simon Ssesazi, and Juma Miyaji.
