Uganda’s U19 female cricket side, the Baby Victoria Pearls, are two wins away from booking their ticket to the 2027 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Head Coach Brian Masaba’s squad stands just one massive performance away from getting their hands on a spot in the final as they prepare for a formidable semi-final battle against Zimbabwe this afternoon in Dar es Salaam.
After an opening setback against Nigeria, the team bounced back with a gritty 5-wicket victory over hosts Tanzania before putting on a bowling and batting masterclass to dismiss Malawi for just 44 and chase it down in 7.3 overs with no wickets lost.
These results saw them finish second in Group A and set up a last-four encounter with unbeaten Group B leader Zimbabwe, who swept past Rwanda, Kenya, and Namibia.
South Africa retains direct entry as Africa’s automatic representative for the 2027 World Cup in Bangladesh and Nepal, leaving this lone Africa Qualifier Division 1 tournament in Dar es Salaam as the final battleground for the region’s remaining ticket.
Having endured past qualification heartbreaks in tight regional finals, the Baby Victoria Pearls are hungrier than ever to break through and write a historic chapter for East African cricket.
A suffocating bowling attack has engineered Uganda’s surge into the semi-finals. Led by Sarah Tino, and supported by Devine Gabriella Nyamer, Mischelle Ariago, and Sheirah Namagoba, the unit has dismantled opposing batters.
To pull off an upset against Zimbabwe, the unit must produce a tactical masterclass against an aggressive batting lineup featuring key players such as all-rounder Beloved Biza and top-order anchor Lorraine Pemhiwa.
For Uganda, openers like Shadiah Gilingish Nabulime and captain Jimia Abdallah Mohamed will have to build a solid platform to weather a Zimbabwe pace attack spearheaded by Tadiwanashe Garutsa and Buhlebenkosi Maposa.
