The Uganda Cricket Cranes have landed in Zimbabwe to begin their final phase of preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, scheduled from September 26 to October 5.
The team arrived in Harare yesterday after a short 90-minute flight from Pretoria, South Africa, where they had just concluded a high-intensity training camp at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre (HPC). The camp included three warm-up games against South African franchise sides, with Uganda securing two wins and gaining valuable match experience.
On arrival at Cresta Lodge in Harare, the players were immediately put through a light gym session to shake off travel fatigue before settling in.
This morning, the squad had their first training session at Harare Sports Club – the venue for their opening fixture against hosts Zimbabwe. Fielding drills, including catching, direct hits, and throw-downs, dominated the session as the Cranes sought to adapt quickly to local conditions.
The day also included an ICC Anti-Corruption Education Session, conducted by ICC Anti-Corruption Officer Dorian Clarence and organised by Tournament Director Martin Ondeko, Uganda Cricket’s former CEO. Players were educated on the “three Rs” – Recognise, Reject, and Report – as well as best practices for maintaining integrity, including handling of gifts and financial temptations.
Head Coach Abhay Sharma expressed satisfaction with both the team’s preparation and discipline:
“We had a very good preparation tour in South Africa. Arriving in Harare a few days early was deliberate, to acclimatize to the conditions and temperatures. The anti-corruption session was equally vital—these are tournaments where wrong elements try to penetrate, so it was very educative and timely.”
Wicketkeeper Cyrus Kakuru also emphasised the importance of both the training and the integrity session:
“The SA Tour was eye-opening and showed us areas we must keep improving. Today’s session in Harare was important whereas the anti-corruption session reminded us that as players, we are often targeted with many promises. It taught us to respect the game and ensure we leave it in a better place than we found it.”
With their groundwork set, the Cricket Cranes will now focus on fine-tuning their skills as they aim to secure a second consecutive T20 World Cup qualification.
