Uganda’s national men’s cricket team, the Cricket Cranes, have been officially flagged off for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Abuja, Nigeria, as they begin their quest to secure a place in the Africa Regional Final.
The 14-man squad was flagged off on Friday morning at the National Council of Sports (NCS) headquarters in Kampala by NCS Assistant General Secretary Technical Milton Chebet, Senior Sports Officer Anne Nankya and Cricket Uganda Chief Executive Officer Evelyn Kabongerwa Shinyekwa.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from October 18 to 25, 2026, with Uganda aiming to finish among the top two teams to advance to the next stage of qualification for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Led by captain Riazat Ali Shah and vice-captain Kenneth Waiswa, the Cricket Cranes head into the six-team competition as the highest-ranked side, placing them among the favourites to progress.
However, the team will need to translate that status into consistent performances against Zambia, Lesotho, The Gambia, Mozambique and hosts Nigeria.
Tikolo Confident in Uganda’s Squad
Head coach Steve Tikolo believes the selected squad has the right balance of experienced campaigners and emerging players to compete for the title.
Tikolo said the selection was informed by performances during recent assignments, including the team’s tour of India and the ILT20 Continent Cup in Kigali, Rwanda.
“We feel these are the best 14 players to go and do the job for us in Abuja. We have a good combination of experienced players and youngsters who have put up their hands whenever they have been selected,” Tikolo said.
The coach expressed confidence in the squad despite the absence of injured all-rounder Dinesh Nakrani and opening bowler Cosmas Kyewuta.
He also emphasised that Uganda would travel to Nigeria with ambitions beyond simply securing qualification.
“Our target is to go there and win the tournament, not only qualify. We have spoken about that as a team, and everybody understands the goal,” he added.
Tikolo, however, warned his players against complacency, stressing that success in the T20 format would depend on discipline and execution in batting, bowling and fielding.
Riazat Leads Uganda’s World Cup Mission
Captain Riazat Ali Shah says the team understands the importance of the assignment and is determined to take another step towards returning to cricket’s biggest stage.
Uganda made their maiden appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States, but failed to qualify for the 2026 edition.
Riazat believes the upcoming tournament provides an important opportunity for the team to rebuild its path towards the 2028 competition.
“We missed the 2026 World Cup, and now our goal is to qualify for the 2028 edition. We have to focus on every game, do the basic things well and take the tournament one match at a time,” he said.
The captain also welcomed the inclusion of younger players, noting that exposure to international competition would help them develop the experience needed to perform under pressure.
While acknowledging that Nigeria could benefit from home advantage, Riazat said Uganda would remain focused on its own game plan and standards.
Five Matches to Determine Uganda’s Progress
Uganda’s campaign will begin against Zambia on October 20, followed by a meeting with Lesotho on October 21.
The Cricket Cranes will then face The Gambia on October 23, Mozambique on October 24 and hosts Nigeria on October 25.
With four matches scheduled across six calendar days, squad management, consistency and recovery will be important factors as Uganda pursues a top-two finish.
The team’s ranking offers an encouraging starting point, but the outcome will ultimately depend on performances on the field.
Uganda’s 14-Man Squad
Riazat Ali Shah (captain), Robinson Obuya, Raghav Dhawan, Gerald Olipa, Sumeet Verma, Kenneth Waiswa (vice-captain), Alpesh Ramjani, Pius Oloka, Anas Baig Mirza, Charles Musemeza, Cyrus Kakuru, Juma Miyaji, Joseph Baguma and Enock Kasaija.
Uganda’s Fixtures – Abuja, Nigeria
· October 20: Uganda vs Zambia — 11:30 am EAT, NCF Oval 1
· October 21: Lesotho vs Uganda — 11:30 am EAT, NCF Oval 2
· October 23: The Gambia vs Uganda — 3:50 pm EAT, NCF Oval 2
· October 24: Uganda vs Mozambique — 11:30 am EAT, NCF Oval 2
· October 25: Nigeria vs Uganda — 3:50 pm EAT, NCF Oval 1
The Cricket Cranes now turn their attention to Abuja, where the immediate mission is to win the qualifier and secure progression towards the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
