- Uganda 69/10 in 19.5 Overs (Peter Ocen 28, Musa Majid 2/19)
- Kenya 70/3 in 34.5 Overs (Stian Smith 29; Rayan Kassam 16*, Krishil Patel 4/11)
- Kenya won by 7 wickets
The Baby Cricket Cranes’ campaign in the U19 Africa World Cup Qualifier has hit a rough patch, as they suffered their second consecutive defeat this time at the hands of Kenya.
After falling to Tanzania in their opening match, Uganda’s hopes of securing a spot in the U19 World Cup are now hanging by a thread.
Playing at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Oval in Lagos, Uganda lost by 73 runs and had a chance overnight to regain their warm-up momentum at the UNILAG Oval, thus winning the toss and opting to field first.
Opting to bat first, Uganda’s innings never got off the ground, as they were skittled for a paltry 69 runs in just 19.5 overs, the lowest total of the qualifiers so far.
Only Peter Ocen (28) showed some resistance, while the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under relentless pressure from Kenya’s bowlers.
Krishil Patel was the chief destroyer, claiming 4 wickets for just 11 runs. He was ably supported by Neel Doshi (3/13) and Anthony Ndungu (3/25), who ensured Uganda never found any footing.
With just 70 runs needed for victory, Kenya encountered little resistance, losing three wickets but ultimately cruising to a comfortable 7 wicket win in 34.5 overs.
The defeat leaves Uganda with a mountain to climb if they are to keep their qualification hopes alive.
With two losses in as many games, Uganda now faces an uphill battle in the tournament. Their upcoming fixture against Sierra Leone on Tuesday, April 1st, is a must-win encounter if they are to keep their slim qualification hopes alive.
The stakes remain high, as the winner of the tournament will secure a coveted spot in the 2026 U19 World Cup set to take place in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
