In a nail-biting encounter at the High Performance Centre in Windhoek, Tanzania emerged victorious, defeating Uganda by a single run in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier.
Esther Iloku’s impressive 49-ball 49 was not enough to secure a win for the Victoria Pearls, as Tanzania’s bowlers held their nerve in the tense final overs.
Opting to bowl first, Uganda’s bowlers Consy Aweko (1/15) and Immaculate Nakisuuyi (0/14) made a solid start, restricting Tanzania to 121/7 in 20 overs.
Saum Mtae top-scored for Tanzania with 39 off 40 balls, while Nasra Mohamedi added 20.
In response, Uganda’s batting unit, led by Iloku and supported by Nakisuuyi’s 22, made a strong start.
However, Tanzania’s bowlers, particularly Sophia Jerome (2/8) and Perice Kamunya (1/23), proved too strong, holding their nerve in the final overs to edge the win.
Chasing 122, Uganda fell short at 120/5 in 20 overs, despite a spirited late push from Rita Musamali, who scored an unbeaten 27 off 15 balls at a strike rate of 180.
The match saw several notable milestones, including Naume Jane Amongin’s debut in the Victoria Pearls jersey, Consy Aweko’s 100th cap, and Esther Iloku’s Player of the Match accolade.
Uganda will be back to action when they face Rwanda on Monday, September 1, in their second group match of the qualifiers.
The tie means a lot to Uganda’s qualifications chance and any negative results will be a big set back to the Victoria Pearls.
Match Highlights
– Tanzania: 121/7 in 20 overs (Saum Mtae 39, Nasra Mohamedi 20)
– Uganda: 120/5 in 20 overs (Esther Iloku 49, Rita Musamali 27)
– Result: Tanzania won by 1 run
