Victoria Pearls chase bronze in Accra

ACCRA, GHANA. The Victoria Pearls, Uganda’s senior women's national cricket team, stand on the brink of making history this afternoon, aiming to become the first-ever cricket team to secure a medal at the quadrennial African Games.

Cricket is making its debut at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, following its recent inclusion as an Olympic sport. This edition features a diverse array of 29 sports disciplines, with cricket being one of the 17 disciplines Uganda is competing in, vying not only for medals but also crucial International Cricket Council (ICC) ranking points.

Uganda's journey included a victory over Kenya by 6 wickets, a narrow loss to Zimbabwe by 4 wickets, and a strong comeback to defeat Rwanda by 30 runs, securing their spot in the semifinals.

Journey thus far

Coach Lawrence Ssematimba’s squad faced a formidable challenge in South Africa, the tournament's top seeds, who convincingly secured a 50-run victory, eliminating Uganda from the gold medal conversation.

Now, the Victoria Pearls are set to face Nigeria, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament at 27, which has surprised with its exciting and brave performances thus far. Nigeria shared honours with Tanzania on Day One after unexpected rains made play impossible, dominated Namibia by 55 runs, and experienced a setback against South Africa, losing by 4 wickets, before succumbing to a clinical Zimbabwe by 5 wickets in the semifinals.

Uganda captain Consy Aweko became the 12th player to reach 100 wickets in Women Twenty20 Internationals during the loss to South Africa in her spell of 2 for 27 and will aim to ensure her team ends on a high, too, today.

Both teams are currently grappling with their own challenges, especially in the batting departments. The consensus is that the team that approaches the game with sensibility and masters the basics will likely secure a spot in the finals.

Joy for Ugandans

“We have to go back to our processes and play smarter,” said Ssematimba. “We haven’t played to our potential. Nigeria are a good bowling unit but we must find a way of batting to our standards. We would love to give our nation joy by winning the bronze medal stake.”

A few Ugandan government officials, technical delegates, and fellow athletes are expected to be present to show their support for the Victoria Pearls. Nigeria has already established a strong presence and support for the Female Yellow Greens at Achimota Complex, the venue for the cricket games, since the beginning of the tournament.

The gold medal match between South Africa and Zimbabwe is scheduled for 4:30 pm (EAT) and will serve as the final showdown in the women's competition.

The day's lineup and matches are undoubtedly intense, featuring two nerve-wracking medal matches that are set to shine a spotlight on the debut of women's cricket at the African Games.

13th African Games

Women’s Results – Semifinals

South Africa 122/4 Uganda 72/10

South Africa won by 50 runs

Nigeria 74/9 Zimbabwe 75/5

Zimbabwe won by 5 wickets

Fixtures – Wednesday

Bronze Medal Match

Uganda vs. Nigeria, 12pm

South Africa vs. Zimbabwe, 4.30pm