Uganda scripted a historic win in their second match at the ICC T20 World Cup, securing a three-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea (PNG) in a low-scoring yet tense encounter.
Playing on a tricky surface at the Providence Stadium, Guyana, that offered palpable assistance to the bowlers, Uganda’s technical team, made three bold tactical changes that paid off handsomely.
One of the strategic changes was dropping left-arm orthodox spinner Henry Ssenyondo for off-spinner Frank Nsubuga, given the PNG lineup’s left-handers.
The others were; batting all-rounder Kenneth Waiswa replacing the struggling top-order batter Ronak Patel, and young Juma Miyaji made his debut in place of paceman Bilal Hassun, who was wayward against Afghanistan.
Winning the toss, Uganda’s captain Brian Masaba elected to field, a decision that reaped early dividends. PNG’s innings quickly unraveled, finding themselves at 19 runs with three wickets down in 3.3 overs.
Dominant Bowling Performance
Uganda’s bowlers, led by veteran Frank Nsubuga, dismantled the PNG batting lineup. Nsubuga’s remarkable spell of 2 wickets for 4 runs in 4 overs, including two maidens, is now the most economical four-over spell in T20 World Cup history.
His performance, along with two wickets each from Juma Miyaji, Alpesh Ramjani, and Cosmas Kyewuta, saw PNG fold for 77 in 19.1 overs.
The ever-green Nsubuga, at 43 years young, also became the oldest player to feature in a World Cup match.
With the bat, Cricket Cranes’ chase was fraught with tension. Early wickets tumbled as Roger Mukasa was trapped LBW for a
duck, and Robinson Obuya holed out to Assad Vala for one, leaving Uganda at 6 runs for 2 wickets in 2 overs.
The situation worsened as Uganda slipped to 26 runs for 5 wickets in 6.3 overs, with key dismissals including Simon Ssesazi, Alpesh Ramjani, and Dinesh Nakrani.
Gritty Fightback Secures Historic Win
The turning point came when Riazat Ali Shah was dropped with only 8 runs on his back by Charles Amini. Cranes had 35 runs for wickets in 8.2 overs at the moment.
Shah capitalized on this reprieve, scoring 33 runs from 56 balls. His innings, along with Juma Miyaji’s 13 off 16, featured dominantly in a crucial 35-run partnership for the sixth wicket that steadied Uganda’s chase.
However, Shah fell attempting a big shot with Uganda at 75 runs for 7 wickets in 17.5 overs, with the Cranes needing just 3 runs from 13 balls for a memorable triumph.
Despite a run-out mix-up that saw Miyaji dismissed, Uganda held their nerve. Kenneth Waiswa ensured the victory by paddling Amini finer to fine leg for the winning two runs.
Uganda reached 78 runs for 7 wickets in 18.2 overs, securing their historic first T20 World Cup win with three wickets in hand and 10 balls to spare.
The low-scoring thriller at Providence Stadium will be remembered as the true arrival of the Cricket Cranes to the global stage.
Cranes Next Fixture
Sunday, June 9 (3:30am EAT)
Uganda Vs West Indies
Venue: Providence Stadium, Guyana
Courtesy Photos
