- Uganda-W: 98/5 in 20.0 Overs (Esther Iloku 47, Nampiina Stephanie 33)
- Namibia-W: 96/6 in 20.0 Overs (Manuel Bianca 20, Mwatile Wilka 18)
- Uganda won by 2 runs
Under the bright skies of the newly unveiled High Performance Cricket Oval, Uganda’s women’s cricket team, Victoria Pearls, started off their 2025 Capricorn Eagles Series with a heart-stopping two-run victory over hosts Namibia on Tuesday evening.
It was a match that had everything, tight bowling, sharp fielding, a few twists and dramatic finish as Uganda held their nerve to defend a modest total and claim an early lead in the series.
Namibia won the toss and chose to field, a decision that initially worked in their favor. Uganda’s top order struggled to get going, losing captain Janet Mbabazi (5 off 11) and Immaculate Nakisuuyi for a duck early on.
But Esther Iloku provided much-needed stability with a composed (47) while Stephanie Nampiina chipped in with a quick (33) to help Uganda post 98/5 in 20 overs.
Namibia’s bowlers, especially Wilka Mwatile (2/16) and Eveleen Kejarukua (1/13) kept the scoring tight and created consistent pressure throughout the innings.
Chasing 99, Namibia looked poised to ease to victory, especially after Bianca Manuel (20) and Wilka Mwatile (18) anchored the middle order. However, Uganda’s bowlers had other plans.
Sarah Akiteng was the standout performer with the ball, tearing through Namibia’s top order and finishing with impressive figures of 3 wickets for just 6 runs in her 4 overs. Uganda also showed sharpness in the field, registering two crucial run outs that disrupted Namibia’s chase at key moments.
Captain Janet Mbabazi then returned to take a vital wicket late in the innings, as Namibia faltered under pressure, falling just short at 96/6 after their allotted 20 overs.
The match sets the tone for an exciting Capricorn Eagles Series and gives Uganda a confidence boost with their next match set to be played tomorrow at the same venue and time.
