Excitement is at an all-time high as the Lyca Mobile-sponsored Uganda national senior men’s cricket team, known as the Cricket Cranes, prepare to fly out to the West Indies tomorrow for their first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup appearance.
The team’s rigorous preparation began in January with a two-week bootcamp in Jinja, Eastern Uganda. This was followed by a 12-day training stint at the Omtex I Can We Can (ICWC) Cricket Institute in Saphale, Mumbai, India. They also completed a high-performance tour in Galle, Sri Lanka, and participated in the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, where they earned a bronze medal.
Further training sessions at various facilities including Galle and Colombo in Sri Lanka, Lugogo Oval, Kinetic Arena, and Fitness Junction Gymnasium have ensured the team is in peak condition.
To acclimatize to Caribbean conditions, the Cricket Cranes will engage in warm-up matches against Namibia and Scotland on May 28 and May 30, respectively, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago. Following this, they will head to Georgetown, Guyana, for the main event.
The Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) has named a 15-player squad and two traveling reserves, with Brian Masaba leading the team as captain. The squad features seasoned players like Frank Nsubuga, who at 43 will be the oldest player in the tournament, and others with extensive experience in international competitions such as Roger Mukasa, Juma Miyaji, and Ronald Lutaaya.
“We are incredibly excited to represent Uganda at our first senior men’s World Cup. This opportunity is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication,” said captain Brian Masaba. “Our journey to this point has been paved by many talented players who narrowly missed out, and our success in recent qualifiers is a testament to our resilience and belief in ourselves.”
Reflecting on Uganda’s prospects, Masaba added, “We aim to perform our best and make a significant impact. We are currently ranked 22nd, just behind Papua New Guinea. While this is seen as a winnable match, we are also eager to challenge the top teams and showcase our talent on the world stage. This is a chance for some of our players to earn opportunities in major leagues.”
The team will be under the guidance of former Indian first-class cricketer Abhay Sharma and is placed in Group C alongside co-hosts West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and PNG. Uganda’s opening match is scheduled for June 4 against Afghanistan at 3:30 AM (EAT) in Guyana.
FINAL SQUAD
Roger Mukasa, Simon Ssesazi, Ronak Patel, Robinson Obuya, Riazat Ali Shah (Vice-Captain), Kenneth Waiswa, Dinesh Nakrani, Brian Mark Masaba (Captain), Bilal Hassun, Juma Miyaji, Cosmas Kyewuta, Frank Nsubuga, Henry Ssenyondo, Fred Achellam, Alpesh Ramjani. Travelling Reserves: Innocent Mwebaze, Ronald Lutaaya.
TEAM MANAGEMENT:
Coach: Abhay Sharma
Assistant Coach: Jackson Ogwang
Consultant: Craig Williams
Analyst: Steven Tusiime
Physiotherapist: Shamim Nassali
Doctor: Dr. Rishi Jagdeo
Strength & Conditioning: Emmanuella Oromo
Selector: Nehal Bibodi
Media Manager: Innocent Ndawula
Team Manager: Charles Waiswa
Delegation Head: Jackson Kavuma
UGANDA’S FULL SCHEDULE FOR ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2024:
Warm Up Fixtures
- Tuesday, May 28 – 2:00 AM:
Uganda vs. Namibia, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago - Thursday, May 30 – 5:30 PM:
Scotland vs. Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago
Tournament Fixtures
- Tuesday, June 4 – 3:30 AM EAT:
Uganda vs. Afghanistan, Providence Stadium, Guyana - Thursday, June 6 – 2:30 AM EAT:
Uganda vs. Papua New Guinea, Providence Stadium, Guyana - Sunday, June 9 – 3:30 AM EAT:
Uganda vs. West Indies, Providence Stadium, Guyana - Saturday, June 15 – 3:30 AM EAT:
Uganda vs. New Zealand, Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad & Tobago
ABOUT THE NINTH T20 WORLD CUP:
The tournament will feature 20 teams and 55 matches, from June 1-29 with the final in Barbados. Canada and co-hosts USA will also be participating for the first time.
