Namibia fightback leaves Uganda soul-searching
Pearl's Pulse: In a game where Uganda’s batting faltered, Immaculate Nakisuuyi kept hopes flickering with a measured 35 off 43 deliveries — a knock full of intent, timing, and control. PHOTOS/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Momentum Shift. After a flying 2-0 start, Victoria Pearls have let Namibia claw back to level the Capricorn Eagles Series 2-2 thanks to Uganda’s dropped catches and inconsistent batting. Game Five, today, now looms as a key swing in this six-match T20 battle
From cruising to a 2-0 lead, the Victoria Pearls are now under pressure after two straight defeats allowed Namibia to square the Capricorn Eagles Series 2-2. The hosts claimed a composed 21-run win in Game 4 at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek on Saturday, setting up a tense penultimate showdown.
Captain Sune Wittmann made the most of a reprieve in the very first over — dropped by Rita Musamali — to anchor Namibia’s innings with a classy 54 off 43 balls.
Contributions from Kayleen Green (11) and Bianca Manuel (12) lifted the hosts to 114 for 8, a defendable total boosted by Uganda’s uncharacteristic fielding frailties. Six dropped catches and three missed run-outs plagued an otherwise solid bowling effort.
Sarah Walaza (2/25), Consylate Aweko (1/16), and Akiteng Sarah (1/22) impressed with the ball, but the damage had already been done.
Inconsistency evident
Uganda’s reply never found rhythm. Esther Iloku (0) was run out without facing a ball, and Kevin Awino (6) fell to a stunning diving catch by Victoria Hamunyela off spinner Eveleen Kejarukua’s bowling.
A promising 38-run stand between Immaculate Nakisuuyi (35 off 43) and Musamali (20) briefly raised hopes, but their departures triggered another collapse. The Pearls managed just 93 for 6 in 20 overs.
Despite Namibia gifting 11 extras and a fighting 14* from Stephanie Nampiina, the Pearls were second-best throughout.
Reflection needed
Assistant coach Brian Masaba acknowledged the dip in standards and called for a mental reset:
“Saturday was a tough day for us. We didn’t take care of our process. We put down crucial catches that could have won us the game, and it came back to bite us,” said the former Cricket Cranes captain.
“As a team, we understand that we were not good enough and there is soul-searching to do. We want to do our team processes right — take care of the small things like fielding, some bowling, and better batting. It’s going to be very important how we react in Game 5 as we look to bounce back and get back on track.”
Pressure on Uganda
With the series tied 2-2 and two matches remaining, Game 5 today will be a vital opportunity for Uganda to wrestle back momentum. A win would guarantee they avoid a last-game shootout, while defeat could leave them chasing shadows after a commanding start.
“We haven’t played our best cricket yet and we have to look at our battinf aggression at the end. Maybe now that the series is level, it will give us something to fight for all over again,” said Uganda skipper Janet Mbabazi.
The bouncebackability of Uganda is on test.
CAPRICORN EAGLES SERIES
Result - Friday
Namibia 124/5 Uganda 101/4
Namibia won by 23 runs
Result - Saturday
Namibia 114/8 Uganda 93/6
Namibia won by 21 runs
*Series Tied Level 2-2
Saturday – Game Five – 3PM
Namibia vs. Uganda, High Performance Oval, Windhoek
