Uganda skipper pleased with fixtures

Uganda’s fixtures

First Round

Feb. 23: vs. Kenya (10am, Kyambogo)
Feb. 23: vs. Nigeria (2.30pm, Lugogo)
Feb. 24: vs. Tanzania (10am, Kyambogo)
Feb. 25: vs. Botswana (2.30pm, Lugogo)

Second Round

Feb. 26: vs. Nigeria (2.30pm, Kyambogo)
Feb. 27: vs. Tanzania (10am, Lugogo)
Feb. 27: vs. Botswana (2.30pm, Ky’bogo)
Feb. 28: Rest Day for All Teams
Mar. 1: vs. Kenya (10am, Lugogo)

As hosts, Team Uganda will have many things going their way including playing on familiar turf and partisan home support.
But a closer look at the fixture schedule of the 2013 Pepsi International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa Division I Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers shows that captain Davis Karashani and his teammates will have ample rest between their matches – something that could prove vital as they bid for their title defence.

“The schedule fits our title interests,” Karashani said after yesterday morning’s gym and swimming session at Hotel Africana.
“We have no problem with it (schedule). We feel it will help us play every match with as much intensity as possible because we shall have recuperated well between matches.”

Uganda open their campaign against fellow title contenders Kenya on Saturday morning at Kyambogo Oval and later host Nigeria at Lugogo.

“Starting with Kenya will help us gauge our potential. Our last fixture in the second round is also against Kenya and I believe it will be the title decider,” revealed Karashani, who looked on helplessly as Kenya strolled past Uganda by 48 runs during the ICC World T20 Global Qualifier in Dubai on March 20 last year.

“Our players are tailor-made for T20 cricket and this is our chance to shine again.”

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