Victory over Nigeria puts Uganda on the brink

In a pivotal encounter at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 World Cup Africa Final Monday, the Cricket Cranes faced Nigeria, knowing that a win could significantly boost their chances of securing one of the coveted tickets to the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA.Nigeria won the coin flip and chose to bat. Their innings unfolded with Joseph Adedeji leading the charge with 23 off 29, supported by Isaac Danladi’s 16 off 13 and Sulaimon Runsewe’s 15 off 23.Uganda’s bowlers, however, showcased a slightly less sharp performance compared to their clash with Zimbabwe. Dinesh Nakrani took 3 for 21, while Bilal Hassun and Alpesh Ramjani claimed 2 wickets each, restricting Nigeria to 99 all out in 19.1 overs.Playing safeThe Cricket Cranes, perhaps conscious of the two-win requirement for World Cup qualification, approached their batting innings with caution.While Ronak Patel anchored the innings with an unbeaten half century of 60 from 52 balls, former captain Roger Mukasa was pedestrian in his innings of 28 not out off 40 deliveries after Simon Ssesazi fell for just 6 runs.Uganda reached the target of 100/1 in 17.3 overs, winning by 9 wickets with 15 balls to spare. But the feeling is they could have done better in the chase and improved their Net Run Rate (NRR) with the heavens threatening to open.Dinesh Nakrani’s stellar bowling performance earned him the Man of the Match award. However, the overall team approach suggested a deliberate shift in strategy.The Cricket Cranes seemed to have chosen to play for safety and secure the win, recognising that only two victories stood between them and qualification for the T20 World Cup.Looking ahead, Uganda faces Kenya in their next fixture on Wednesday, set to unfold at the Wanderers Cricket Ground. As the Cricket Cranes continue their journey in the Africa Final, their careful and calculated approach reflects a team keenly aware of the stakes and determined to make history.ICC T20 WORLD CUP AFRICA FINALResultsNigeria 99/10 Uganda 100/1Uganda won by 9 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)Kenya 104/6 Namibia 106/4Namibia won by 6 wicketsZimbabwe 215/4 Rwanda 71/10Zimbabwe won by 144 runsFixtures – TuesdayTanzania vs. Namibia 10.30am, WanderersFixtures – WednesdayNigeria vs. Zimbabwe 10.30am, UnitedRwanda vs. Tanzania 10.30am, WanderersUganda vs. Kenya 3.30pm, WanderersPoints TableTeam P W L NR Pts NRRNamibia 4 4 0 0 8 2.589Uganda 4 3 1 0 6 0.503Kenya 4 3 1 0 6 0.481Zimbabwe 4 2 2 0 4 2.276Nigeria 4 1 2 1 3 -0.195Rwanda 4 0 3 1 1 -4.580Tanzania 4 0 4 0 0 -2.294*NR denotes No Result/Shared Points*NRR denotes Net Run Rate Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).