Africa T20 Championship: Uganda Fall Short In Title Defense Despite Beating Kenya

May 8, 2019
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Wednesday, May 8
Uganda – 100/5
Kenya – 96/7 (20 ov, tgt 101)
*Uganda win by 4 runs

Uganda’s senior women cricket team, the lady cricket cranes have registered a failed campaign at the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifiers at Harare.

Uganda managed to beat Kenya by 4 runs for their second group B win but the effort was not enough to see the side top the Pool where only one team was required to go through to the finals.

Uganda had won their opening game against Sierra Leone by 90 runs but were pegged back by a 15-run loss to Namibia, and consequently needed to not only beat Kenya in the final group game but also pray that Sierra Leone beat Namibia to have a chance.

The former went on plan, a sweet derby win against Kenya, but Namibia proved too good and deserved after making light work of Sierra Leone to win by 10 wickets with 46 balls still in store.

Consy Aweko (middle) is joined by Captain Kevin Awino (right) in celebrations. Zimbabwe cricket

“It was an important win because this is more like an East African final,” head coach Michael Ndiko remained positive. “Our strategy was to bat first because the girls have grown that belief that they are good at defending their score, it has worked thanks to the captain and her team mates.”

Immaculate Nakisuyi (30 runs), Rita Musamali (18), Damalie Busingye (19) and Stephanie Nampiina (12) flourished with the bat as Uganda set a ton for the fall of five wickets.

Fall of wickets: 1-9 (R Ntono, 2.5 ov), 2-11 (NK Bagenda, 3.2 ov), 3-29 (J Mbabazi, 9.6 ov), 4-61 (D Busingye, 14.4 ov), 5-71 (I Nakisuuyi, 15.6 ov).

Consy Aweko was the star when Uganda had the ball, picking four wickets to limit the neighbours to just four runs adrift of reaching the set target.

Catch! Action between Uganda (yellow) and Kenya in Zimbabwe.

This is a reminiscent of what recently happened to the U19 team last time in Namibia earlier this year.

It should be noted that Uganda came into the tournament as defending champions after winning the crown in May 2018.

Uganda will therefore miss an opportunity to qualify to both the 2019 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier and the 2020 Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournaments.

The team is expected to leave Zimbabwe on Monday afternoon.