The Cricket Cranes will lock horns with Malawi today – Thursday, October 2, 2025, in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier fifth-place playoff semifinal at Takashinga Cricket Club, Harare. The match will bowl off at 2.50pm (EAT).
Uganda, ranked 22nd in the world, come into the tie determined to finish the tournament strongly after missing out on the semifinals. Malawi, ranked 54th, have impressed by defeating Kenya and pushing for a semifinal spot before falling short on Net Run Rate (NRR).
Assistant coach Jackson Ogwang emphasized the need for consistency:
“We needed that win yesterday to lift spirits. The focus now is on winning the remaining two games. If our batsmen can show consistency, we can close the tournament on a high.”
Skipper Riazat Ali Shah added that the team remains motivated.
“It was good to see the boys show character yesterday. We are giving opportunities to our youngsters, and we want to finish on a strong note. It hurts to be out of contention, but we must move on and focus on what’s ahead.”
Uganda enjoys a positive record against Malawi, having won both their previous T20I encounters – by 10 wickets in Kigali (2021) and by 7 wickets in Benoni (2023). The Cricket Cranes also registered a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Malawi in the official warm-up last week.
With ranking points and pride at stake, the Cricket Cranes call upon their fans and supporters to rally behind the team as they continue their journey in Harare.
