Uganda’s U-19 side, the Baby Cricket Cranes, depart Friday for Kigali with a singular objective: restore their place in Africa Division One and reignite the country’s pursuit of a fourth ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup appearance.
The 14-man squad heads into the ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Division Two Qualifier (August 7–16) determined to turn the page on last year’s historic relegation in Lagos, Nigeria — a setback the team has since reframed as fuel for a disciplined rebuild.
The pathway is straightforward but unforgiving.
Uganda must finish among the top two to secure promotion to Division One and remain on course for qualification to the 2028 ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Hosts Rwanda are joined by Nigeria, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Ghana in a compact, high-stakes field, with matches set for the Gahanga Main Ground, Gahanga B Oval and IPRC Cricket Oval.
Uganda opens its campaign against Nigeria on August 9 before a demanding run of fixtures against Mozambique (August 10), Ghana (August 12), Sierra Leone (August 13) and Rwanda (August 15). All matches bowl off at 10:30am EAT.
The build-up has been deliberate and layered.
Following last year’s Skyview Boys Schools Cricket Week, the squad entered an initial camp in Fort Portal before progressing to residential training blocks in Kampala.
Competitive sharpness was further honed during the High-Performance Cup Series, where Uganda defeated Rwanda U-19 and the Uganda Emerging XI to claim overall honours — a run that injected both confidence and tactical clarity.
Head coach Grace Mutyagaba believes the groundwork has addressed key performance areas.
“The boys have shown great enthusiasm throughout our preparations. We have focused on improving our approach against spin, strengthening team combinations and building reliable batting and bowling partnerships.
This is an important tournament because Uganda wants to return to Division One. After a thorough selection process, we are confident in the balance and quality of this squad.”
Captain Daniel Rubangakene points to a deep batting unit as Uganda’s primary weapon in Kigali.
“Our biggest strength is our batting. We have players capable of contributing from number one to number nine. We appreciate the support from Cricket Uganda and assure our fans that we will compete strongly in every match.”
Uganda’s U-19 pedigree remains a reference point.
The nation has featured at three ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cups — 2004 (Bangladesh), 2006 (Sri Lanka) and 2022 (West Indies), with the Caribbean campaign yielding a 13th-place finish after a notable win over Scotland.
Uganda has also claimed the Africa Qualifier title twice (2009, 2021) and finished runners-up on four occasions.
Those benchmarks now serve as motivation for a new generation tasked with restoring Uganda’s standing among Africa’s elite youth cricket nations.
With a balanced squad, structured preparation and renewed belief, the Baby Cricket Cranes arrive in Rwanda carrying both expectation and opportunity.
Promotion is the immediate target; a return to the global stage remains the broader ambition.
UGANDA U-19 SQUAD — KIGALI 2026
Ronald Rubangakene; Samuel Ahaisibwe; Devansh Patel; Robert Owilli (wk); Abraiz Ali; Richard Sohera; Daniel Rubangakene (capt); Jackson Asiku; Kenneth Isiko; Adam Kassim; Felix Ochan; Eric Mukisa; Larry Itagi; Hamidu Munigwa.
Non-travelling reserves: Ryan Agaba, Ben Solomon Mulindwa.
TECHNICAL TEAM
Head Coach: Grace Mutyagaba
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Sebanja
Physiotherapist: Habiba Kulthum Anguyo
Analyst: Jeff Mwesigwa Kasozi
Media Manager: Ivan Cyprian Sajjabi
Team Manager: Sylvester Rokani
UGANDA U-19 FIXTURES (All 10:30am EAT)
Aug 9: Uganda vs Nigeria
Aug 10: Uganda vs Mozambique
Aug 12: Uganda vs Ghana
Aug 13: Uganda vs Sierra Leone
Aug 15: Uganda vs Rwanda
