Bahrain claimed a historic 17-run victory over the Cricket Cranes in the first-ever T20 International played between the two sides, held at the Jinja SS Oval.
In a rain-affected game reduced to 11 overs, Bahrain’s disciplined bowling and critical breakthroughs saw them edge out Uganda to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After winning the toss, new Uganda captain Riazat Ali Shah chose to bowl first on a damp and tricky Jinja pitch. Bahrain’s top three batters—Asif Ali, Imran Javed Anwar, and Umer Imtiaz—provided a solid foundation, combining to post 97/5.
Asif’s explosive 31 off 18 balls, along with Imran Javed Anwar’s steady 26 off 18, gave Bahrain a defendable target. Uganda’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Dinesh Kumar Nakrani, who put in a stellar performance, taking 3 wickets for 20 runs in his 3-over spell.
Cosmas Kyewuta and Alpesh Ramjani also contributed, each taking a wicket and keeping the pressure on Bahrain. Chasing 98 in 11 overs, Uganda looked steady at first, thanks to a promising 27 off 17 balls from Raghav Dhawan and 20 off 15 balls from Robinson Obuya.
From 64/3 in 8.2 overs, Uganda found themselves in trouble with Bahrain’s Haider Ali making an impact with his game-changing spell of 3 for 7 in just 1 over.
.@CricketUganda’s fast bowler Juma Miyagi reacts to the 17-run defeat to Bahrain 🇧🇭 in a T20i and looks forward to this afternoon’s second game.#GoLocal 🏏 pic.twitter.com/TigsdfPBUK
— Nnalubaale Sports (@NnalubaaleS) October 29, 2024
Uganda ultimately fell short, closing their innings at 80/8. Reflecting on the game, Cricket Cranes’ Juma Miyaji acknowledged the team’s challenges:
“We lost momentum when it mattered most. Haider Ali’s over shifted the game, and our middle order couldn’t recover from the sudden collapse. But tomorrow is another day. We come out stronger.”
Bahrain’s coach, Ashish Kapur, celebrated the historic win while emphasizing areas for improvement. “The team executed our plans well, but we’ll need to be more clinical as the series progresses. Uganda is a formidable side, and we can’t afford to lose focus.”
Bahrain 🇧🇭 coach Ashish Kapur talks about the 17-run against @CricketUganda in their first-ever T20i meeting.
— Nnalubaale Sports (@NnalubaaleS) October 29, 2024
“The top order batsmen got us what’s needed… A good start”#GoLocal 🏏 pic.twitter.com/mTOvRirecz
With Bahrain ranked 26th globally and Uganda at 22nd, the win also grants Bahrain crucial ranking points as they look to climb up the ICC standings.
The two sides will meet again on Tuesday at 1:30 pm, where Uganda will aim to level the series in what promises to be an intense encounter at Jinja SS Oval.
Bahrain Tour to Uganda – Match Summary Bahrain:
- 97/5 in 11 overs (Asif Ali 31 off 18, Imran Javed Anwar 26 off 18; Dinesh Nakrani 3/20)
- Uganda: 80/8 in 11 overs (Raghav Dhawan 27 off 17, Robinson Obuya 20 off 15; Haider Ali 3/7)
- Result: Bahrain won by 17 runs
