Uganda’s Cricket Cranes have named a strong 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, set for September 26 to October 4 in Harare, Zimbabwe, with key returns and fresh talent boosting hopes of back to back World Cup appearances.
Left-arm spinner Henry Ssenyondo headlines the squad after missing last month’s Pearl of Africa T20 Series in Entebbe, a surprise omission that sparked debate among fans.
Captain Riazat Ali Shah and pace bowler Innocent Mwebaze also return, adding experience to the side.
Newcomers Sumeet Verma and Gaurav Tomar have earned their first call-ups and could make their debuts in Harare.
The team begins a residential boot camp in Jinja from August 27 to September 7, focusing on player assessment, combinations, and integrating the new faces.
On September 12, they head to South Africa for warm-up matches against domestic powerhouses Titans and Lions as part of their final preparations.
Drawn in Group B, Uganda faces a tough opener against hosts and tournament favorites Zimbabwe on September 26, a rematch of their historic win two years ago that secured their first-ever T20 World Cup spot. They will also play Botswana and Tanzania in the group stage.
With only two qualification spots available, Uganda must battle seven other nations including Namibia, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Botswana, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe for a ticket to next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Uganda Squad
Riazat Ali Shah (C), Frank Nsubuga, Dinesh Nakrani, Henry Ssenyondo, Shrideep Mangela, Robinson Obuya, Raghav Dhawan, Juma Miyaji, Sumeet Verma, Cosmas Kyewuta, Gaurav Tomar, Cyrus Kakuru (WK), Alpesh Ramjani, Joseph Baguma, Innocent Mwebaze.
