UCA launches ‘Jangu ne munno’ campaign

Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) spent the greater part of last week in celebratory mode after the senior national men’s team - the Cricket Cranes - broke the shackles to qualify for their first-ever ICC Twenty20 World Cup tournament.

That team managed by Charles Waiswa and coached by Jackson Ogwang will head to the West Indies and USA in June. Yet, their lady counterparts - the Victoria Pearls - too want to emulate them.

They are set to compete in an eight-nation ICC T20 Women’s Africa World Cup Qualifiers from December 9-17 at the Entebbe Oval.

“The Africa Qualifier comes once in two years and it is an opportunity for different teams to qualify. We are glad that this year, we are taking two teams,” said Naomi Kayondo of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) during the tournament launch at Entebbe.

UCA is hoping the Pearls can maximize home advantage to progress to the Global Qualifier. “This tournament comes at a very special time when the Cricket Cranes have just qualified for the T20 World Cup,” said UCA CEO Alan Mugume flanked by National Council of Sports’ assistant secretary general David Katende.

“We are marketing our country through sport. The idea behind hosting this is in respect of the promotion of sports tourism,” noted Katende.

Hence the LOC is running a campaign, bordered on the temperatures raised by the Cricket Cranes called ‘Jangu ne munno’ loosely translated as ‘Come with a friend’ to Entebbe.

“Our campaign this December is, come with a friend. Come watch women’s cricket at the highest level on this continent,” added Kayondo, a former Victoria Pearls’ captain.

“The ground is ready. This (Entebbe) is the main ground. For some teams wanting to practice, we’ll have another ground in Kampala. All matches will be live-streamed. To stress the point of support, we welcome the entire fraternity to support the Pearls,” tournament director Joshua Mwanja stressed.

Uganda won the tournament in 2017 played in Zimbabwe and advanced to the Global Qualifier in the Netherlands where they finished sixth.

The Pearls are winding up a camp, which comprises sessions with psychologist Edgar Kazibwe, in Jinja before heading to Entebbe.

TOURNAMENT FIXTURES - ENTEBBE

TEAM UGANDA MATCHES

Dec 10, 2pm: Rwanda vs. Uganda

Dec 12, 2pm: Uganda vs. Namibia

Dec 14, 2pm: Uganda vs. Nigeria

Dec 16, 9:30am & 2pm: Semifinals

Dec 17, 9:30am: 3rd/4th Play-Off Final

Dec 17, 2pm: Final

2023 ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP AFRICA FINALS

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

Dates:  Dec 9-17

Administrator: International Cricket Council

Format: Twenty20 International

Host: Uganda (Entebbe Oval)

Participants: 8

Matches: 16