The Cricket Cranes’ hopes of clinching the Hong Kong-China Tri-Series final were dashed as they fell short against the hosts, losing by 68 runs.
Hong Kong China posted 234 in 49.2 overs, driven by a stellar century from Anshy Rath (107), despite early setbacks.
Uganda’s bowlers, including Dinesh Nakrani (1/35), Juma Miyagi (2/55), and Cosmas Kyewuta (3/45), initially kept the pressure on, reducing Hong Kong to 17/2.
However, Rath’s resilience guided the hosts to a strong total on a challenging pitch.
In response, the Cricket Cranes struggled, losing early wickets and collapsing to 33/3.
Although Raghav Dhawan (37) and Dinesh Nakrani (49) fought back, a lack of partnerships left Uganda at 112/6, and they were eventually bowled out for 166 in 42.2 overs.
The standout performance came from Hong Kong’s Nasrulla Rana, who claimed 5/29, exposing Uganda’s top-order vulnerabilities.
The defeat highlights ongoing issues for the Cricket Cranes in their batting depth, but with just days before the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B begins on February 7, Uganda has limited time to refine their strategy.
The team will aim to address their batting concerns and improve their approach ahead of their first match against Bahrain.
