- Sierra Leone 119/10 (George Sesay 42, Ibrahim Sesay 26)
- Uganda 122/5 (Devanh Patel 25, Ali Balidawa 3/10)
- Uganda won by 5 wickets
In an encounter at the U19 Africa World Cup Qualifier cricket tournament, the Baby Cricket Cranes of Uganda showcased their dominance with a 5-wicket win over Sierra Leone, securing a victory that marks their first win in the competition at the TBS Cricket Oval on Tuesday.
The match, held under clear skies, featured impressive performances from both the bowlers and batsmen of Uganda, underscoring their potential on the international stage.
Upon winning the toss, Uganda chose to field first, a decision that proved strategic. Sierra Leone struggled to build partnerships against a relentless Ugandan bowling attack, collapsing for a mere 119 runs in 47.4 overs.
The Baby Cricket Cranes’ bowlers delivered impressive figures; Balidawa Ali stood out with 3 wickets for just 11 runs in 10 overs, while Musa Majid Ramathan and Abdulaziz Tandia took 2 wickets each, further disrupting the Sierra Leone batting lineup.
Sierra Leone’s innings was characterized by a lack of stability with only George Sesay (42), Ibrahim Sesay scoring 26 runs off 51 balls. The rest of the batting unit faltered against sharp bowling and tight fielding, leading to the loss of wickets at regular intervals.
The quick dismissal of the top order with the first wicket falling in just the fourth over set a challenging tone for Sierra Leone, culminating in their all-out score of 119.
In response, Uganda’s batting lineup was resolute. Although they faced early setbacks, losing three wickets by the 30th over, the Baby Cricket Cranes steadily progressed towards their target.
Openers Sohlera Richard and Olipa Gerald laid the foundation of the chase, contributing 9 and 20 runs respectively.
Key contributions came from Abdulaziz Tandia, who played a crucial knock of 18 runs, steadying the ship towards the end after a minor collapse.
The standout performer was Nyiiro Jonathan, who remained unbeaten at the crease, guiding Uganda to a dignified finish with 11 runs.
Uganda reached their target of 122 runs in 43 overs with a final score of 122 for 5 and secured victory with significant contributions from both the batting and bowling departments.
Their upcoming fixture against Namibia at the Unilag Oval on Wednesday, April 2nd, with a 2026 U19 World Cup spot in Namibia and Zimbabwe at stake.
