The Uganda’s senior national Cricket team (Cricket Cranes) has kicked off their seven-day Tour of South Africa with a commanding five-wicket victory over a DP World Lions XI at the TuksCricket Oval, High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria earlier this afternoon. The win marks a positive start to Uganda’s final preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, scheduled for September 19 – October 5 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Uganda won the toss and opted to field first. Coach Abhay Sharma, keen to simulate tournament conditions and give his batters a chance to chase, saw his bowlers deliver with discipline and control. The Lions were bundled out for 109 in 19 overs, with Juma Miyaji (3/23), Cosmos Kyewuta (2/14), Dinesh Nakrani (2/25), and Henry Ssenyondo (2/22) sharing the wickets.
In response, debutant Gaurav Tomar (35 off 27) and the experienced Robinson Obuya (23 off 18) laid a fiery foundation. Despite a minor wobble in the middle order, all-rounder Nakrani (29* off 21) and skipper Riazat Ali Shah (10* off 7) saw Uganda home in 16.3 overs at 113/5.
Coach Sharma praised his bowlers and fielders for their sharp execution but challenged his batters to value their wickets more, with high-scoring contests expected in Harare.
Uganda’s next match is scheduled for Tuesday morning, September 16, against Titans XI at the same venue.
