Uganda’s Cricket Cranes depart for Dar es Salaam this Sunday with destiny firmly in their hands, carrying an unbeaten record into the decisive final leg of the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B.
Top of the standings with 18 points from 10 matches (8 wins, 2 no-results), Uganda leads Italy by two points and needs three victories from five fixtures to secure progression in the 2027 World Cup qualification pathway.
Head Coach Steve Tikolo has dismissed any conservative approach.
“At the back of our minds, there is that three wins, but personally I would want to take it one game at a time. I’ve also spoken to the boys about it but we would also want to win all our five games,” said Tikolo.
“When you do that as a team, you usually send a very strong statement to the world and to the opposition. We want to be clinical and win all matches.”
Mission Tanzania is clear: finish unbeaten, finish first, and move one step closer to the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Captain Riazat Ali Shah echoed the ambition.
“We want to go for all in, and we want to win all the games,” he said.
“Our goal is to get the ODI status, but first we have to finish the league first.”
Uganda faces unfamiliar conditions at the University of Dar es Salaam Complex, where new surfaces will test adaptability, while rivals Italy and Hong Kong, China remain in contention.
Standings (after two rounds):
Uganda – 18 pts
Italy – 16 pts
Hong Kong, China – 12 pts
Bahrain – 9 pts
Tanzania – 4 pts
Singapore – 1 pt
Squad:
Riazat Ali Shah (C), Kenneth Waiswa (VC), Juma Miyaji, Fred Achelam (WK), Cyrus Kakuru (WK), Dinesh Nakrani, Joseph Baguma, Henry Ssenyondo, Sumeet Verma, Simon Ssesazi, Alpesh Ramjani, Cosmas Kyewuta, Gerald Olipa, Raghav Dhawan.
