It was another heartbreak for the Baby Victoria Pearls in their quest to reach the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup finals, as they lost to Zimbabwe at the Estim, TCA Cricket Arena.
Uganda fell 20 runs short in the semi-finals of the Division 1 qualifier despite putting up a big fight. Having won the toss, Uganda opted to bowl first.
Head Coach Brian Masaba’s side produced a disciplined bowling display to restrict Zimbabwe to 104/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Sheirah Namagoba led the charge with an exceptional spell, picking up 3 wickets for 21 runs in her 4 overs.
She was well-supported by Mischelle Ariago, Tino Sarah, and Blessing Apio, who kept the run rate in check against a resilient Zimbabwean batting lineup anchored by Lorraine Pemhiwa (28 off 30) and Tadiwanashe Garutsa (22 off 22).
Chasing a target of 105 for a historic place in the final, the Baby Victoria Pearls fought hard through the middle overs.
Benefiting from 21 extras, Captain Jimia Abdallah Mohamed anchored the innings bravely with a resilient 24 off 33 balls, including four boundaries.
Tino Sarah chipped in with a fighting 17 off 30 deliveries, but disciplined spells from Vanessa Maedza (3/13), Christina Mutasa (2/12), and Tadiwanashe Garutsa (2/15) squeezed the chase, restricting Uganda to 84/9 in their 20 overs.
Despite the semi-final defeat, the Baby Victoria Pearls displayed immense grit and resilience.
They will look to finish strong when they face Rwanda in the third-place playoff at the Estim Ground (TCA Arena) on Saturday, September 5, 2026.
