In a closely contested final Uganda came from behind to beat Tanzania by 8 wickets in the inaugural T20 Africa Cup Challenge ultimately becoming the first winners of the continental showpiece.
From the onset, Tanzania proved to be the better team and did not hesitate in giving Uganda a hard time in both innings.
Cricket Cranes won the toss to bowl but Tanzania were more than a match to the Ugandan bowlers.
While batting Tanzania also took advantage of its Power Play and collected more than 50 runs in just the first five overs.
The team continued its batting spree and at the end set a target score of 174 runs in what seemed a mission accomplished.
Players Abhik Patwa and Ivan Selamani were the top batsmen for Tanzania scoring 68 and 39 runs respectively to hand Uganda a mountain to climb.
Despite the fact that the Cranes struggled through the innings, bowlers Deus Muhumuza, Cosmas Kyewuta, Juma Miyagi and Alpesh Ramjani managed to pick up a total of 5 wickets combined.
Uganda’s batting innings was not so different from the fielding as the team continued to play catch up the whole time.
To rub salt in the wound, team captain Brian Masaba was dismissed in the first over for a Leg Before Wicket and top batsman Simon Ssezazzi fell soon after, but not before adding 18 runs to the total score.
Even with two wickets down, the team kept going strong but was still far behind from the finish line; by the 14th over, Uganda had 113 runs and it required 62 runs to win from 31 balls.
Fast forward, with only six balls left, Uganda needed 16 runs and that is when Riazat Ali’s batting saved the day when he posted two big sixes from as many balls using the remaining balls to collect the winning runs to give Uganda a historic victory.
At the end, Uganda sailed past Tanzania’s set target with 175 runs for 2 wickets hence winning the game by 8 wickets.
Riazat Ali Shah posted a total of 98 runs and batting partner Deus Muhumuza added 50 runs.
Riazat Ali was the top batsman of the game whereas Muhumuza was the top bowler with 2 wickets.
Going into the tournament, Uganda was 25th on the global rankings but with the win, the country’s ranking will definitely go up.
Uganda played Botswana, Mozambique, and Ghana in the group stages winning all its games. In the semifinals it played Kenya before playing Tanzania in the finals.
FINAL SCORE
Uganda 175/2 20 overs RR: 8.87
Tanzania 174/5 20 overs RR: 8.7
Photo credit: Uganda Cricket Association Media
