Franchise teams for the inaugural T20 Elite League were successfully auctioned on Saturday at Kati Kati Restaurant in Lugogo.
The event will be officially launched on Tuesday, this week at Lugogo Cricket Oval, where the event proper will be played between Sunday 25th October to Saturday 31st October.
There will be three teams in the league, that is; Scorpions (rebranded to Aziz Damani Scorpions) that was bought by Siva Koti at Sh5m, Mambas (rebranded to Metro Challengers Mambas) bought by Vahid Muhammed at Sh5m and Bucks bought by Tulsi Varsani at Sh4.5m.
Scorpions will be captained by Brian Masaba, Mambas will be captained by Frank Akankwasa and Bucks will be captained by Arnold Otwani.
The teams are composed of 14 players each who were picked basing on their performance in the previous season. Every team has a good share of top league players, budding youngsters and the like.
The event will be played on round robin format with two games on card daily. The best two teams will play in the final.
The Seven-day meet will help selectors pick players eligible to be on the plane for Uganda’s tour to Qatar in December.
However, the teams will be housed in a bubble somewhere in Namirembe, a Kampala suburb as a Covid-19 preventive measure. The event will also be played without fans but games will be live streamed on Cricket Uganda online platforms.
In September this year, local cricket governing body Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) promised to organise short format tournaments to engage the players and fans after it canceled its activity calendar following a long sports ban then.
With the noose on competitive play now loosened, the T20 do, which is set to become an annual event will serve as a curtain raiser for near future short format engagements.
Team Compositions:
Scorpions – Brian Masaba, Zephaniah Arinaitwe, Calvin Watuwa, Charles Waiswa, Gerard Mubiru, Steven Wabwose, Trevor Bukenya, Derrick Bakunzi, Innocent Mwebaze, Wassim Butt, Lawrence Ssempijja, Jaffar Ochaya, Davis Karashani, Shazad Kamal
Coach – Michael Ndiko
Bucks – Arnold Otwani (Captain), Aneef Shah, Deus Muhumuza, Emmanuel Isaneez, Frank Nsubuga, Fred Achelam, Jonathan Kizza, Jonathan Ssebanja, Simon Oketcho, Simon Sesazi, Siraje Nsubuga, Richard Agamire, Robert Ajuna, Robinson Obuya
Coach – Habib Mugalula
Mambas – Frank Akankwasa (Captain), Cosmas Kyewuta, Alex Obanda, Daniel Ruyange, David Wabwire, Hamu Kayondo, Henry Ssenyondo, Kenneth Waiswa, Lawrence Ssematimba, Rogers Olipa, Irfan Afridi, Emmanuel Hasahya, Perry Wazombe, Younos Sowombi
Coach – Jackson Ogwang
