- Namibia A 145/6 in 20 Overs (Jan Balt 48, Zacheo Jansen Van Vuuren 43)
- Uganda A 143/5 in 20 Overs (Simon Ssesazi 66, Pascal Murungi 38)
- Namibia A won by 2 runs
Uganda A came agonizingly close to victory but lost by just two runs to Namibia A in the opening match of the Pearl of Africa Cricket Series at Lakeside Oval on Thursday morning.
Namibia A won the toss and chose to bat, putting up a decent score of 145 for 6 in 20 overs. Captain Jan Balt led the way with 48 runs, while Zacheo Jansen Van Vuuren added 43. Dylan Leicher chipped in with a quick 29.
Uganda A’s bowlers fought hard. Ivan Baidu was the standout, picking up 3 wickets for 23 runs. Pius Oloka and Brighton Muganzi also took a wicket each, while Kenneth Waiswa’s sharp fielding earned a crucial run-out.
In reply, Uganda looked on track. Opener Simon Ssesazi anchored the innings with a steady 66 runs, and Pascal Murungi added a fiery unbeaten 38 off 26 balls.
With just seven runs needed off the final over and five wickets in hand, it seemed Uganda had the game in the bag. But Namibia’s Jan De Villiers held his nerve, taking two wickets and giving away only one run to snatch the win.
Uganda ended on 143 for 5, painfully close, but not enough.
The Ugandans will look to bounce back quickly when they face Nigeria on Friday July 18 at 9:30 AM at the same venue.
