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Fame & Fortune? Cricket Cranes don’t need any extra inspiration
What you need to know:
Beacon of Hope. The responsibilities Cricket Cranes players carry back home serve as a powerful motivator. They are not just playing for personal glory but for the pride of their nation and the dreams of countless young Ugandans who look up to them. Their performance at the World Cup will not only be a testament to their skills but also a source of inspiration for future generations of cricketers.
Former Cricket Cranes star Roger Mukasa making small talk with Australian captain Mitchell Marsh and later posing with Aussies’ swashbuckling opener David Warner are memories that will never get old for me while on duty covering this ninth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies & USA.
Mukasa with either Marsh or Warner is simply a David-Goliath comparison. Serving as the ICC Media Manager for Team Uganda, I can confess that some things that were once unimaginable are happening right before my twinkling eyes.
It's surreal! Life goes on as normal, but the indelible mark that stays ingrained with every experience and occasion is, simply put, extraordinary.
To put things into better perspective, there was a moment as Team Uganda wrapped up their ICC Media Obligations at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Tuesday when Juma Miyaji and West Indies’ latest pace bowling sensation Shamar Joseph chatted, laughed, and exchanged numbers. Now that’s what you call a pound-for-pound contest.
Miyaji at 21 and Shamar at 24 are contemporaries. In cricketing terms, young Miyaji is the senior, having received his Cricket Cranes debut cap on his 19th birthday – April 10, 2022, in the Castle Lite Series in Windhoek.
Miyaji claimed the prize scalp of Namibia captain Gerhard Merwe Erasmus in his first over of international cricket, leaving the opposition tottering at 60 runs for 4 wickets after 10 overs in the T20I series decider, which Uganda unluckily lost.
Similar storylines
For Joseph, who only made his debut this year in January, the storyline is similarly a fairytale one.
With just five first-class matches under his belt, Joseph made a remarkable start to his career when he had former Australia captain and opening batsman Steve Smith caught at third slip with his first ball during West Indies' first Test against Australia in Adelaide on January 16.
Endowed with raw pace and a love for an odd lusty hit-out when they come to bat, Joseph and Miyaji can poetically be referred to as Siamese twins or even brothers separated at birth.
The comparisons in life are quite similar. Joseph hails from the small village of Baracara in Guyana, a homestead founded by people of African descent.
Miyaji’s tale is familiar, born and bred in Naguru, known for breeding Ugandan stars across several sporting disciplines.
Most prominent sporting heroes do not grow up with a silver spoon.
Many have a zero-to-hero punchline and often come from extended families where the responsibility of fending for them falls back on their shoulders from their rookie years of playing.
With the warm-up fixtures done and dusted, the anticipation is palpable as Uganda gears up to make its debut.
As the Cricket Cranes prepare to face formidable opponents in Group C, including hosts West Indies, New Zealand, PNG, and Afghanistan, each player carries the weight of expectations from back home.
Their responsibilities and the pride of representing their nation on the world stage should inspire them to excel in this historic tournament.
Relatable journeys
Mukasa’s journey from growing up at Lugogo, where his father – Robert Mukasa – worked as a barman at the oval’s clubhouse, to now being a father of a young family with two daughters is nothing short of inspirational.
Arguably the most loved cricketer of his generation, Mukasa’s responsibilities back home include being a role model for young aspiring cricketers.
His performance at the World Cup will undoubtedly inspire many youngsters to take up the sport.
From playing in the 2022 U-19 edition to now the seniors’ edition, Miyaji’s rise in cricket is a story of hard work and determination.
Shrugging off a series of concurrent back injuries and working hard behind the scenes to restructure his bowling action, Miyaji’s make him an editor’s favourite pick for a story any day.
Simon Ssesazi and Henry Ssenyondo, two blood brothers in the side, have faced adversity in its true severity.
Losing their father as toddlers, it’s a miracle how they’ve managed to carve international careers for themselves whilst also attaining formal education.
Ssesazi, who has the most runs by a Ugandan – 2072 – in T20Is, was freely mixing with West Indians at the Hyatt Regency Hotel – a sign of belonging to the big stage.
His elder sibling Ssenyondo is the country’s leading wicket-taker with 94 scalps. It will be an unforgettable milestone if he reaches the elite club of 100 at the ‘Big Dance.’
The pair’s statistics are not just mere numbers but symbols of hope and resilience for many living less-privileged lives.
Shining examples
For endurance, look no further than 43-year-old Frank Nsubuga. His experience and wisdom are invaluable as he continues to impart knowledge.
Captain Brian Masaba has to balance his play with work as a procurement officer, and he will certainly use the World Cup as a platform for positive change.
The Ugandan players should not look beyond their role model cricketers and idols, many of whom share similar humble beginnings.
Players like Warner, who worked his way up from being a nobody, Marsh, who fought through numerous injuries, and Joseph, who overcame countless obstacles, serve as shining examples.
These stories are not just distant tales but relatable journeys that mirror their own experiences.
Each player has faced challenges, be it financial constraints, limited facilities, or personal setbacks.
Their success at the World Cup will not only be a testament to their talent but also a beacon of hope for aspiring cricketers back home.
It might just be the spark they need to ignite their careers forever, afterall playing at the World Cup is every athlete's dream.
The inspiration surely lies within each of the 17 players, including the two traveling reserves, seemingly clogged mindsets.
ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2024:
Uganda - Tournament Fixtures
Tuesday, June 4 – 3:30 AM:
Uganda vs. Afghanistan, Providence Stadium, Guyana
Thursday, June 6 – 2:30 AM:
Uganda vs. Papua New Guinea, Providence Stadium, Guyana
Sunday, June 9 – 3:30 AM:
Uganda vs. West Indies, Providence Stadium, Guyana
Saturday, June 15 – 3:30 AM:
Uganda vs. New Zealand, Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad & Tobago
Note: Fixtures schedule is in East African Time (EAT)
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 Miyagi, Cosmas Kyewuta, Frank Nsubuga, Henry Ssenyondo, Fred Achelam, Alpesh Ramjani
Travelling Reserves: Innocent Mwebaze, Ronald Lutaaya