The Uganda Cricket Cranes are flagged off and set to embark on a crucial training tour to South Africa, ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Finals in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The team will depart for Pretoria on September 12, 2025, for a one-week camp that will serve as a final acid test before the high-stakes qualifiers.
The Cranes have been preparing intensively for the qualifiers, having concluded a 12-day boot camp in Jinja.
The camp focused on fitness, skill refinement, and bonding activities, with the team participating in five high-tempo practice matches.
The players were put through rigorous training, including strength and conditioning workouts at Hared Fitness Gym, match simulations at Jinja SSS Oval, and recovery sessions at Jinja Backpackers.
The team’s South Africa tour will feature high-profile fixtures against elite South African franchises, including;
– September 14: Match vs. Titans (Morning)
– September 15: Match vs. Lions (Afternoon)
– September 17: Match vs. Titans (Morning)
The Uganda squad for the South Africa tour includes, Riazat Ali Shah (Captain), Frank Nsubuga, Dinesh Nakrani, Henry Ssenyondo, Alpesh Ramjani, Robinson Obuya, Raghav Dhawan, Juma Miyaji, Cosmas Kyewuta, Sumeet Verma, Cyrus Kakuru, Gaurav Tomar, Joseph Baguma, Innocent Mwebaze
Head coach Abhay Sharma believes his team is nearing its best shape yet, with 85% readiness for the task ahead.
“What remains is fine-tuning and ensuring belief,” Sharma said.
Captain Riazat Ali Shah emphasized the importance of individual roles, stating, “The batsmen must score runs; the bowlers must operate clinically with their field sets, get dot balls and take wickets.”
With their sights set on a second straight T20 World Cup appearance, the Cricket Cranes are determined to use the South Africa tour as a launchpad for another historic campaign in Harare.
