Lesotho, Eswatini test Cranes mettle
X-Factor. Ronak Patel offered balance to the innings against Rwanda having walked in with the scoreboard reading 53 for 1 in 7.4 overs. PHOTO/I. NDAWULA
The journey to the 2022 International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup in Australia remains a long one but the Cricket Cranes are doing everything within their control to keep the dream alive.
After another clinical outing against hosts Rwanda on Sunday during which they cantered to 106-run victory at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier in Kigali, coach Laurence Mahatlane was demanding for more of the same on their busiest day at the seven-nation meet today.
“We have got to do our bit if we are to qualify to the Africa Finals,” he said.
“We cannot leave anything to chance. It is the small things and finer details that we have to focus on and look to continue improving on how we apply ourselves. We still have four games to play and that means we can work on a few things and get better.”
Every nation has a double-header day and Uganda’s comes in earnest with Lesotho and Eswatini being the two nations lined up to face the unbeaten top seeds from East Africa at the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) Oval in Kicukiro – one of the three districts that constitute Kigali city – today.
One eye on Ghana
Log leaders Ghana take on Malawi in one of the highly anticipated encounters of the event and the Ugandan dugout might want to keep one eye on the proceedings at Gahanga.
But Cricket Cranes captain Deus Muhumuza says his team is happy to control what they can.
“We cannot control the results from elsewhere. We also cannot control the weather,” said the affable 32-year-old Muhumuza.
“But we can control and determine the results from the matches we play. We want to display our fearless brand of cricket and ensure we meet the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) the coach set for us. If we achieve them, I know we will be unbeatable.”
Coach Mahatlane might tweak the Ugandan side a bit to give all-rounder Kenneth Waiswa, left-arm orthodox spinner Gerald Mubiru and paceman Richard Agamire their tournament debuts against the two teams; Lesotho (86) and Eswatini (84), ranked more than 50 places below the Cricket Cranes.
