Pretoria - September 14 – The Cricket Cranes kicked off their seven-day Tour of South Africa with a commanding five-wicket victory over a DP World Lions XI at the TuksCricket Oval, High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria earlier this afternoon. The win marks a positive start to Uganda’s final preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, scheduled for September 19 – October 5 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Uganda won the toss and opted to field first. Coach Abhay Sharma, keen to simulate tournament conditions and give his batters a chance to chase, saw his bowlers deliver with discipline and control. The Lions were bundled out for 109 in 19 overs, with Juma Miyaji (3/23), Cosmos Kyewuta (2/14), Dinesh Nakrani (2/25), and Henry Ssenyondo (2/22) sharing the wickets.
In response, debutant Gaurav Tomar (35 off 27) and the experienced Robinson Obuya (23 off 18) laid a fiery foundation. Despite a minor wobble in the middle order, all-rounder Nakrani (29* off 21) and skipper Riazat Ali Shah (10* off 7) saw Uganda home in 16.3 overs at 113/5.
Coach Sharma praised his bowlers and fielders for their sharp execution but challenged his batters to value their wickets more, with high-scoring contests expected in Harare.
Uganda’s next match is scheduled for Tuesday morning, September 16, against Titans XI at the same venue.
Match Summary
DP World Lions XI: 109 all out, 19.0 overs (D. Nicholus 24, P. Raichetti 15; J. Miyaji 3/23, C. Kyewuta 2/14, D. Nakrani 2/25, H. Ssenyondo 2/22)
Uganda: 113/5, 16.3 overs (G. Tomar 35, D. Nakrani 29*, R. Obuya 23; N. Mkhize 3/21)
Result: Uganda won by 5 wickets (with 21 balls remaining).
Next Fixture: Uganda vs Titans XI – 16 September 2025, Pretoria.
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