Uganda’s national women’s cricket team, the Victoria Pearls, have pulled off two edgy victories in the ongoing Capricorn Eagles Series in the heart of Windhoek at the High Performance Cricket Oval.
With margins of just 2 runs and 5 runs, these wins may have delivered joy, but they also exposed cracks that head coach Deus Muhumuza isn’t willing to ignore.
After the dust settled on the second nail-biting finish, Muhumuza stepped forward with a measured tone and a message that cut through the celebration: “Most importantly for us, we have many areas of concern.”
Despite the team’s unbeaten start to the series, Muhumuza’s remarks painted a picture of a coach focused on growth over glory.
He pointed to the numbers, 63 dot balls in the second match alone as a red flag in the batting department.
“The batting, we faced 63 dot balls which is a very big concern,” he said, emphasizing the need for more intent and smarter strike rotation.
Though the bowlers have been the unsung heroes of these victories, defending sub-100 totals in both encounters, it’s the fielding that drew Muhumuza’s most direct criticism.
“The fielding, we took only one chance out of eight. There is a big room for improvement,” he lamented.
Dropped catches, misfields and errant throws have all threatened to undo the hard work of the bowling unit.
Muhumuza’s comments reflect a deeper understanding of what it takes to compete not just in this series but on the larger stage of international cricket.
“We are a team capable of scoring 140 and above and we must look to do that, not just say it,” he added. His words weren’t just a critique, they were a challenge to his players to rise to their known potential.
Now with a 2-0 series lead, the Victoria Pearls have earned a day of rest before they return to series action on Friday, April 11.
