Cricket: Qatar take series but Uganda remain defiant

What you need to know:

  • In the chase, Uganda’s top order continued to show solidity with each of the top five batsmen reaching double figures as Uganda reached 76 for 3. But when Irfan Afridi (22 off 15) holed out with the scoreboard reading 89 for 4 in 15.2 overs, things fell apart with just 33 needed off 28 balls.
  • The slow-bowling pair of Muhammad Nadeem (3/12 in 4) and Chaudhry Iqbal (2/17 in 4) weaved their magic to restrict Uganda’s stingless tail-enders to 107 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs.

Bilateral Series

Yesterday’s t20 result
Qatar 121/6 Uganda 107/9
Uganda lost by 14 runs
*Qatar win five-match series 3-2

Doha. A few chinks in Uganda’s armour were opened up for the first time in the Bilateral Cricket Series against Qatar in Doha yesterday as the hosts nicked the five-match series 3-2.

And despite Cricket Cranes suffering a 14-run loss in the closing Twenty20 game played on Qatar National Sports Day – a public holiday made all famous by the different sporting activities held across the gulf nation – there was no sinking feeling in the Ugandan camp.

“I don’t want to blame fatigue,” said Cricket Cranes coach Steve Tikolo after the match during which Uganda failed to chase down 122 runs at the picturesque Asian Town International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
“We have played good cricket over the last four matches. And although the hosts have been inter-changing teams, it should also be noted that they stepped up today. That said, we should also have batted better.”

Gems of spells
Deus Muhumuza (3/10 in 4) and Charles Waiswa (2/19 in 4) bowled gems of spells to restrict the Qataris to 49 for 6 in 9.5 overs. But the hosts recovered with 54 runs in the last five overs to set 121 thanks to some lusty hitting from Mohammed Rizlan (35 off 36) and Noman Sarwar (35 off 32).

In the chase, Uganda’s top order continued to show solidity with each of the top five batsmen reaching double figures as Uganda reached 76 for 3. But when Irfan Afridi (22 off 15) holed out with the scoreboard reading 89 for 4 in 15.2 overs, things fell apart with just 33 needed off 28 balls.

The slow-bowling pair of Muhammad Nadeem (3/12 in 4) and Chaudhry Iqbal (2/17 in 4) weaved their magic to restrict Uganda’s stingless tail-enders to 107 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs.