The Uganda women’s team has started to work towards the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier. The tournament which is scheduled to be held in September 2021, will be played in Botswana. The matches will be played as Women’s Twenty20 Internationals and the top two teams will go on to play the 2022 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament.
The tournament will see the participation of 11 teams – hosts Botswana, Cameroon, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Botswana, Cameroon, and Malawi are all set to make their debut at an ICC Women’s event.
While there are still doubts regarding how the tournament will be conducted owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Uganda women’s team has begun its preparations for the qualifiers. All the players in the squad of 28 have tested negative for the virus which is why the team has assembled for a training camp keeping in mind the event in question.
The Ugandans are still in search of a head coach for their women’s team. But the lack of a permanent head coach has not hindered their quest to excel. In order to train, coach, and oversee the players in the training camp, Uganda has appointed an interim team of Davis Turinawe and Ivan Kakande.
The last time Uganda played an international match was more than a year ago when they faced Mali women’s team on 23rd June 2019 in the Kwibuka Women’s Twenty20 tournament. Uganda had a mind-blowing match where they bowled Mali out for a paltry 14 runs with extras accounting for 12 runs and only two batters opening their account. They then chased down this total in less than two overs and ended up finishing the tournament placed second in the points table with four wins out of six matches.
The Twenty20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, which will see the team back in action, is sure to inspire the players to put their best foot forward in the limited opportunities available to them and a good start in the tournament will go a long way in promoting the game of cricket in the country.
Squad
Janet Mbabazi, Racheal Ntono, Rita Musamali, Kevin Awino, Leona Babirye, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Consy Aweko, Maria Nyende, Stephanie Nampiina, Naomi Kayondo, Esther Ilukor, Damalie Busingye, Evelyn Anyipo, Eunice Kobusingye, Teddy Ayella, Proscovia Alako, Racheal Achan, Sarah Walaza, Sarah Akiteng, Mary Akello, Christine Anayo, Franklyn Najjumba, Irene Alumo, Shakira Sadick, Patricia Malemikia, Phiona Kulume, Mildred Anyigo, Gloria Obukor.
This article was published on – ICC
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